The Australian Team Sets a New Benchmark as Captain Alyssa Healy Faces One Final Mountain.
It's difficult for the Australian squad to achieve unprecedented feats.
The top summits have been successfully scaled.
We're talking about the team that has secured seven Cricket World Cups, in addition to an additional six T20 titles, and once went over three years without defeat in 50-over cricket.
The remaining milestones, targeted by the peak baggers, are what's still available for a team that has accomplished all there is.
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It needed up to Sunday's three-wicket win over India for them to complete their first ODI chase exceeding 300, taking back their record for the largest in women's cricket's 50-over format, is, in truth, a compliment to the bowling attack that have worn canary yellow over the past 50 years.
It's challenging for their batters to hold a record if never given the opportunity.
In the end, the outcome of Australia conceding 330 was captain Alyssa Healy receiving an opportunity to produce her latest masterpiece.
Then best known as the young family member of renowned former Aussie wicketkeeper Ian, she first played in 2010 after her country couldn't capture either of the T20 or ODI World Cups conducted earlier and has seen it all through 15 successful years since.
A T20 World Cup win happened three months after her bow and seven international trophies have resulted from 10 efforts across formats.
The determined wicketkeeper was present as well in Derby in 2017 when a semi-final setback by India momentarily interrupted the successful run.
That loss "motivated us to reconsider our benchmarks," Healy said this week.
At the next 50-over World Cup in New Zealand, Healy scored 170 against England in the title decider and was declared player of the series. She guaranteed her country would not fall short again.
If this newest brilliant performance surpassed that earlier display is debatable.
Some will argue the reasoning behind championship match pressure. Some might respond with the difficulty that comes when confronting a historic chase and a loud pro-India audience of 20,000.
What is certain is this hundred was considerably tougher to see coming.
The Christchurch carnage in 2022 happened while she was the highest scorer, but this performance came after six matches in India from the beginning of the previous month in which she had not exceeded 30 runs.
"If you've been watching me in training, it was a frustrating experience because I feel like I've had no rhythm at all," commented Healy.
"But once you enter the playing area, your competitive instincts kick in and you simply focus on the competition."
Healy's fighting spirit has always been her great strength - and a priceless quality in replacing legendary former captain Meg Lanning.
She was challenged by India's promising player Kranti Gaud in recent ODI series, dismissed by the emerging pace bowler in all three matches, but this time it merely gave Healy's spark.
One run resulted off the opening delivery and after that Healy was in motion.
"The possibility to play and engage in competition with her and merely enjoy the moment that way, kind of motivated me," stated Healy.
She achieved fifty in 35 pitches - her fastest at the global tournament - and her century in 84 as she flogged anything short, striking 21 boundaries and three sixes.
By the time she was out the team needed 66 additional runs at run per delivery - a manageable total now needing a comfortable finish.
"Chasing 330 runs is uncharted waters so I'm happy we have the belief to achieve that now," stated Healy further.
"Ideally we won't need to do it another time but, if necessary, we believe we can achieve it."
These statements will be the final thing rival teams at this championship should hear.
In recent days a belief they will succeed regardless of circumstances has become more firm - this triumph coming after win against Pakistan by 107-run victory despite sitting at 76-7 at one stage.
Following this Australia face Bangladesh before a match against traditional opponents England in Indore in ten days, by which point a semi-final berth may probably be guaranteed.
It was at that stage they left the prior year's T20 World Cup in a shock defeat by South Africa - an encounter Healy was absent due to damaged tissue in her foot as she captained her nation for the first time at a significant event.
So strong is her resolve, she later said she regretted not playing through the pain.
But while she afterwards confessed those injuries have postponed thoughts of retirement, this championship is anticipated as her last as captain in one-day cricket and she is yet to win an international tournament as skipper.
Triumph in India would bring her to the top of her last major obstacle.