The Australian Team Breaks New Ground as Healy Has One Peak Left to Climb.
It's tough for Australia to set fresh records.
The highest peaks have been successfully scaled.
We're talking about the team that has secured seven Cricket World Cups, plus six more T20 titles, and earlier maintained 1,294 days without defeat in 50-over cricket.
The secondary achievements, the ones sought by the record chasers, are all that remain for a squad that has won it all.
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That it took until Sunday's victory by three wickets over India for them to accomplish their maiden ODI chase above 300, taking back their record for the largest in the female 50-over format, is, in truth, a tribute to the bowling attack that have sported the yellow jersey over the last half-century.
It's difficult for their hitters to maintain a record if never given the possibility.
Ultimately, the outcome of Australia giving up 330 runs was skipper Alyssa Healy receiving an opportunity to deliver her newest gem.
Initially recognized as the young family member of renowned former Aussie wicketkeeper Ian, she debuted in 2010 after her country couldn't capture either of the 20 or 50-over World Cups held the previous year and has witnessed all through 15 championship-filled years since.
A T20 World Cup win arrived three months after her first appearance and seven international trophies have come from 10 attempts across formats.
The tough gloveman was in attendance in Derby in 2017 when a semi-final setback by India briefly halted the winning streak.
That loss "drove us to reconsider our benchmarks," Healy stated recently.
At the next 50-over World Cup in New Zealand, Healy made 170 against England in the title decider and was awarded tournament MVP. She made sure her country would not fall short again.
Whether this latest epic knock surpassed that earlier display is debatable.
Many contend the reasoning behind final game tension. Others can counter with the challenge that comes when pursuing an unprecedented total and a raucous India-supporting crowd of 20,000.
What's definite is this ton was considerably tougher to predict.
The Christchurch carnage in 2022 came as she was the highest scorer, but this performance was preceded by six games in India since the start of last month in which she had been unable to reach 30.
"For those following me in the nets, it was a challenging time because it appeared I lacked timing at all," stated Healy.
"However when you enter the playing area, your competitive instincts take over and you completely engage with the competition."
Healy's competitiveness has consistently been her key asset - and an invaluable trait in succeeding famous previous leader Meg Lanning.
She was tormented by India's emerging talent Kranti Gaud in last month's ODI series, dismissed by the emerging pace bowler in each encounter, but this time it merely gave Healy's motivation.
A single came off the opening delivery and after that the right-hander was on her way.
"A chance to take the field and lock in a contest with her and just have a bit of fun that way, kind of motivated me," stated Healy.
She achieved fifty in 35 deliveries - her swiftest at the World Cup - and her hundred in 84 as she flogged anything short, striking 21 boundaries and three big hits.
Once she was out the team required another 66 at a run-a-ball - a manageable total now demanding an easy conclusion.
"Pursuing 330 is uncharted waters so I'm pleased we have the assurance to achieve that now," added Healy.
"Preferably we shouldn't have to do it again but, if we do, we know we can succeed."
Those words will be the last Australia's opponents at this World Cup want to hear.
Over the past five days a feeling they will triumph from any situation has become more firm - this triumph succeeding success over Pakistan by 107 runs despite sitting at 76-7 at one point.
Subsequently Australia meet Bangladesh before a meeting with traditional opponents England in Indore in a week and a half, by which point a semi-final berth may likely be confirmed.
During that phase they were eliminated from the prior year's T20 World Cup in a shock defeat by South Africa - an encounter Healy missed because of damaged tissue in her foot as she guided Australia for the initial instance at a significant event.
Such is her determination, she subsequently stated she wished she had played despite the injury.
However although she later admitted those fitness problems have delayed plans to retire, this tournament is likely to be her final tournament as skipper in ODI cricket and she is yet to win an international tournament as captain.
Success in India would lead her to the peak of her last major obstacle.