Australia Breaks New Ground as Healy Has One Peak Left to Climb.
It's tough for Australia to break new ground.
The top summits have been successfully scaled.
This is the unit that has secured seven Cricket World Cups, plus another six T20 titles, and earlier maintained over three years without defeat in 50-over cricket.
The secondary achievements, those for the record chasers, are the only things left for a squad that has won it all.
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That it took until Sunday's three-wicket win over India for them to achieve their initial ODI chase above 300, reclaiming their record for the largest in the female 50-over format, is, honestly, a testament to the bowling attack that have sported the yellow jersey over the past 50 years.
It's challenging for their batters to hold a record if never given the possibility.
Ultimately, the consequence of Australia conceding 330 was captain Alyssa Healy being given an opportunity to deliver her latest masterpiece.
Then best known as the young family member of celebrated previous Aussie wicketkeeper Ian, she first played in 2010 after her country couldn't capture either of the 20 or 50-over World Cups held the previous year and has experienced everything through 15 trophy-laden years since.
A T20 World Cup win happened three months after her debut and seven world titles have resulted from 10 attempts across formats.
The determined wicketkeeper was in attendance in Derby in 2017 when a last-four loss by India momentarily interrupted the run of success.
That loss "motivated us to reconsider our benchmarks," Healy commented earlier.
At the following one-day championship in New Zealand, Healy made 170 against England in the title decider and was named player of the tournament. She guaranteed her country would not come up short.
Whether this latest epic knock surpassed that earlier display can be debated.
Many contend the argument supporting the pressure of a final. Different voices suggest with the difficulty that comes when confronting a historic chase and a loud pro-India audience of 20,000.
What's definite is this century was much more difficult to anticipate.
The New Zealand onslaught in 2022 occurred when she topped the run-scoring charts, but this innings was preceded by six games in India over the past few weeks in which she had not exceeded 30 runs.
"For those following me in training, it was a challenging time because I feel like I've had no rhythm completely," commented Healy.
"However when you step out on the field, your fighting spirit take over and you completely engage with the competition."
Healy's fighting spirit has always been her great strength - and a priceless quality in succeeding famous previous leader Meg Lanning.
She was challenged by India's promising player Kranti Gaud in the previous month's ODI series, dismissed by the 22-year-old seamer in each encounter, but this time it merely gave Healy's spark.
One run resulted off the bowler's initial ball and from there the batsman was on her way.
"The possibility to go out there and lock in a contest with her and merely enjoy the moment in that aspect, somewhat inspired me," commented Healy.
She achieved fifty in 35 pitches - her quickest at the global tournament - and her hundred in 84 balls as she flogged anything short, scoring 21 fours and three big hits.
Once she was dismissed Australia required another 66 at a run-a-ball - a manageable total now needing a comfortable finish.
"Pursuing 330 is unfamiliar ground so I'm pleased we have the assurance to accomplish that now," added Healy.
"Hopefully we don't have to do it again but, if necessary, we know we can achieve it."
These statements will be the ultimate thing Australia's opponents at this championship want to hear.
In recent days a belief they will win from any position has grown stronger - this victory following success over Pakistan by 107 runs despite sitting at 76-7 at one point.
Next Australia play Bangladesh before a meeting with old rivals England in Indore in ten days, by which point a semi-final place may well be secure.
It was at that stage they left the prior year's T20 World Cup in an unexpected loss by South Africa - a game Healy was absent due to torn tissue in her foot as she guided Australia for the initial instance at an important competition.
So great is her will, she later said she wished she had played with the discomfort.
But while she subsequently acknowledged those physical issues have delayed consideration of ending her career, this championship is anticipated as her final tournament as skipper in one-day cricket and she is yet to win a global event as captain.
Victory in India would take her to the summit of her final mountain.
