The Australian Team Breaks New Ground as Captain Alyssa Healy Has One Peak Left to Climb.
It's difficult for Australia to achieve unprecedented feats.
The top summits have long been mastered.
This is the team that has secured seven Cricket World Cups, in addition to an additional six T20 titles, and once went 1,294 days undefeated in 50-over cricket.
The alternative records, the ones sought by the achievement hunters, are all that remain for a side that has won it all.
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It needed up to Sunday's victory by three wickets over India for them to complete their first ODI chase above 300, reclaiming their record for the biggest in the women's 50-over format, is, frankly, a testament to the pitchers that have represented Australia over the last half-century.
It's difficult for their batsmen to possess a record if never given the opportunity.
In the end, the consequence of Australia conceding 330 was skipper Alyssa Healy receiving a chance to produce her newest gem.
Originally famous as the teenage relative of renowned former Aussie wicketkeeper Ian, she debuted in 2010 after Australia failed to win either of the 20 or 50-over World Cups conducted earlier and has experienced everything through 15 successful years since.
A T20 championship victory happened three months after her bow and seven international trophies have come from 10 tries across formats.
The determined wicketkeeper was in attendance in Derby in 2017 when a last-four loss by India momentarily interrupted the winning streak.
That loss "pushed us to reconsider our benchmarks," Healy commented earlier.
At the next 50-over World Cup in New Zealand, Healy made 170 against England in the championship match and was named player of the tournament. She guaranteed her country would not fail again.
The question of whether this newest brilliant performance topped that previous effort is debatable.
Certain people claim the reasoning behind championship match pressure. Others can counter with the test that comes when pursuing an unprecedented total and a loud pro-India audience of 20,000.
What's definite is this hundred was considerably tougher to predict.
The Christchurch destruction in 2022 happened while she led the batting statistics, but this performance was preceded by six games in India from the beginning of the previous month in which she had been unable to reach 30.
"If you've been watching me in training, it has been a challenging time because it seemed I've had no rhythm at all," commented Healy.
"But once you enter the playing area, your competitive nature take over and you simply focus on the contest."
Healy's competitive nature has consistently been her key asset - and a priceless quality in succeeding iconic ex-skipper Meg Lanning.
She was troubled by India's promising player Kranti Gaud in recent ODI series, fallen to the emerging pace bowler in all three matches, but on this occasion it simply offered Healy's inspiration.
A single came off the opening delivery and from there the batsman was in motion.
"The possibility to play and lock in a contest with her and merely enjoy the moment that way, sort of got me going," stated Healy.
She got to fifty in 35 balls - her swiftest at the global tournament - and her hundred in 84 as she flogged anything short, hitting 21 fours and three maximums.
When she was out Australia needed 66 additional runs at run per delivery - an achievable target now needing a comfortable finish.
"Chasing 330 runs is uncharted waters so I'm happy we have the belief to do that now," continued Healy.
"Preferably we shouldn't have to repeat it but, if necessary, we believe we can do it."
That comment will be the final thing rival teams at this championship should hear.
During the last week a feeling they will triumph from any situation has only strengthened - this triumph succeeding victory over Pakistan by 107-run victory despite struggling at 76-7 at a certain moment.
Next Australia play Bangladesh before an encounter with old rivals England in Indore in ten days, by which point a last-four spot may likely be confirmed.
During that phase they left last year's T20 World Cup in a surprising setback by South Africa - an encounter Healy missed because of torn tissue in her foot as she captained her nation for the inaugural occasion at an important competition.
So great is her will, she later said she wished she had played through the pain.
But while she subsequently acknowledged those fitness problems have delayed thoughts of retirement, this World Cup is likely to be her final tournament as skipper in ODI cricket and she is hasn't yet secured a global event as skipper.
Victory in India would lead her to the peak of her ultimate challenge.
