The Australian Team Establishes a Fresh Record as Healy Confronts Her Ultimate Challenge.
It's a challenge for the Australian squad to break new ground.
The greatest achievements have been successfully scaled.
We're talking about the unit that has secured seven Cricket World Cups, plus an additional six T20 titles, and earlier maintained nearly four years undefeated in 50-over cricket.
The secondary achievements, the ones sought by the peak baggers, are the only things left for a side that has won it all.
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That it took up to Sunday's victory by three wickets over India for them to complete their first ODI chase above 300, regaining 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 batsmen to possess a record if not provided the possibility.
Finally, the consequence of Australia conceding 330 was captain Alyssa Healy being given an opportunity to create her newest gem.
Originally famous as the young family member of famous ex Aussie wicketkeeper Ian, she first played in 2010 after her nation failed to win either of the 20 or 50-over World Cups conducted earlier and has seen it all through 15 successful years since.
Success in the T20 World Cup happened three months after her first appearance and seven global championships have come from 10 efforts across formats.
The determined wicketkeeper was in attendance in Derby in 2017 when a last-four loss by India briefly halted the successful run.
That loss "drove us to rethink our standards," 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 newest brilliant performance surpassed that earlier display is debatable.
Some will argue the reasoning behind championship match pressure. Others can counter with the difficulty that comes when facing a record target and a raucous India-supporting crowd of 20,000.
What's clear is this century was much more difficult to anticipate.
The Christchurch destruction in 2022 came as she led the batting statistics, but this performance followed six innings in India from the beginning of the previous month in which she had failed to pass 30.
"If you've been watching me in the nets, it was a challenging time because it seemed my form was missing completely," said Healy.
"Yet the moment you take the field, your competitive instincts take over and you just lock into the contest."
Healy's competitiveness has consistently been her major advantage - and a priceless quality in taking over from 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 on her way.
"The possibility to take the field and engage in competition with her and just have a bit of fun in that regard, sort of got me going," commented Healy.
She reached fifty in 35 deliveries - her quickest at a World Cup - and her hundred in 84 balls as she punished short deliveries, striking 21 boundaries and three sixes.
By the time she was dismissed her side needed 66 more at one run per ball - a manageable total now demanding an easy conclusion.
"Pursuing 330 is unfamiliar ground so I'm happy we have the assurance to accomplish that now," stated Healy further.
"Hopefully we don't have to do it again but, if we do, we believe we can achieve it."
That comment will be the ultimate thing competing nations at this tournament want to hear.
Over the past five days a belief they will succeed regardless of circumstances has only strengthened - this triumph following win against Pakistan by 107 run margin despite struggling at 76-7 at a certain moment.
Subsequently Australia meet Bangladesh before an encounter with old rivals England in Indore in ten days, by which point a semi-final place may probably be guaranteed.
It was at that stage they exited the prior year's T20 World Cup in an unexpected loss by South Africa - an encounter Healy was absent due to torn tissue in her foot as she guided Australia for the initial instance at an important competition.
So strong is her resolve, she later said she wanted to have participated with the discomfort.
However although she subsequently acknowledged those fitness problems have pushed back consideration of ending her career, this championship is expected to be her final tournament as skipper in one-day cricket and she is hasn't yet secured a global event as skipper.
Triumph in India would lead her to the peak of her last major obstacle.