Australia Breaks New Ground as Captain Alyssa Healy Has One Peak Left to Climb.
It's difficult for the Australian squad to break new ground.
The highest peaks have long been mastered.
We're talking about the unit that has claimed seven Cricket World Cups, in addition to an additional six T20 titles, and earlier maintained over three years unbeaten in 50-over cricket.
The secondary achievements, targeted by the achievement hunters, are the only things left for a squad that has accomplished all there is.
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The fact it required until Sunday's success by three wickets over India for them to achieve their initial ODI chase over 300, reclaiming their record for the highest in the women's 50-over format, is, honestly, a testament to the bowling attack that have worn canary yellow over five decades.
It's challenging for their hitters to maintain a record if not provided the possibility.
In the end, the consequence of Australia giving up 330 runs was leader Alyssa Healy being given a platform to create her latest masterpiece.
Initially recognized as the 19-year-old niece of famous ex Aussie wicketkeeper Ian, she made her debut in 2010 after her country failed to win either of the T20 or ODI World Cups from the prior year and has seen it all through 15 championship-filled years since.
Success in the T20 World Cup came three months after her debut and seven international trophies have come from 10 tries across formats.
The gritty keeper was present as well in Derby in 2017 when a semi-final defeat by India momentarily interrupted the run of success.
That loss "drove us to rethink our standards," Healy commented earlier.
At the subsequent ODI World Cup in New Zealand, Healy scored 170 against England in the championship match and was awarded tournament MVP. She ensured her country would not come up short.
If this latest epic knock surpassed that earlier display can be debated.
Some will argue the case for final game tension. Different voices suggest with the challenge that comes when facing a record target and a loud pro-India audience of 20,000.
What's definite is this century was far harder to predict.
The Christchurch carnage in 2022 came as she led the batting statistics, but this innings was preceded by six games in India since the start of last month in which she had failed to pass 30.
"If you've been watching me in training, it's been a frustrating experience because it appeared my form was missing whatsoever," commented Healy.
"But once you step out on the field, your fighting spirit kick in and you simply focus on the competition."
Healy's competitive nature has consistently been her key asset - and an irreplaceable characteristic in taking over from famous previous leader Meg Lanning.
She was troubled by India's emerging talent Kranti Gaud in the previous month's ODI series, fallen to the 22-year-old seamer in all three matches, but this time it merely gave Healy's spark.
A single was taken off Gaud's first delivery and from that point the right-hander was in motion.
"The possibility to play and engage in competition with her and simply enjoy myself in that regard, kind of motivated me," commented Healy.
She reached fifty in 35 pitches - her fastest at a World Cup - and her ton in 84 balls as she attacked short-pitched balls, scoring 21 fours and three sixes.
Once she was dismissed her side needed 66 additional runs at run per delivery - an unconquered height now demanding an easy conclusion.
"Pursuing 330 is unfamiliar ground so I am glad we have the assurance to achieve that now," stated Healy further.
"Preferably we shouldn't have to do it another time but, if necessary, we are confident we can achieve it."
Those words will be the last rival teams at this tournament need to hear.
Over the past five days a belief they will triumph from any situation has only strengthened - this success following win against Pakistan by 107 runs despite struggling at 76-7 at one stage.
Subsequently Australia meet Bangladesh before a meeting with traditional opponents England in Indore in ten days, by which point a semi-final place may well be secure.
It was at that stage they were eliminated from the previous 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 captained her nation for the initial instance at an important competition.
So great is her will, she afterwards commented she wanted to have participated with the discomfort.
However although she later admitted those injuries have delayed plans to retire, this World Cup is anticipated as her last as captain in one-day cricket and she is hasn't yet secured a world championship as captain.
Success in India would take her to the summit of her final mountain.