The Australian Team Sets a New Benchmark as Healy Has One Peak Left to Climb.
It's a challenge for Australia to break new ground.
The highest peaks have been successfully scaled.
We're talking about the team that has secured seven Cricket World Cups, plus an additional six T20 titles, and once went 1,294 days without defeat in 50-over cricket.
The remaining milestones, targeted by the achievement hunters, are all that remain for a team that has accomplished all there is.
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The fact it required up to Sunday's success by three wickets over India for them to accomplish their maiden ODI chase exceeding 300, reclaiming their record for the largest in the women's 50-over format, is, frankly, a compliment to the bowlers that have represented Australia over five decades.
It's challenging for their batsmen to hold a record if never given the possibility.
Ultimately, the result of Australia giving up 330 runs was skipper Alyssa Healy receiving a platform to deliver her latest masterpiece.
Originally famous as the young family member of celebrated previous Aussie wicketkeeper Ian, she debuted in 2010 after her country didn't secure either of the T20 or ODI World Cups from the prior year and has seen it all through 15 trophy-laden years since.
Success in the T20 World Cup happened three months after her debut and seven world titles have resulted from 10 attempts across formats.
The determined wicketkeeper was also there in Derby in 2017 when a semi-final defeat by India momentarily interrupted the successful run.
That loss "pushed us to rethink our standards," Healy commented earlier.
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 ensured her country would not fail again.
Whether this latest epic knock exceeded that prior achievement is debatable.
Many contend the argument supporting championship match pressure. Others can counter with the challenge that comes when facing a record target and an enthusiastic Indian fanbase of 20,000.
What's clear 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 knock was preceded by six games in India over the past few weeks in which she had failed to pass 30.
"If you've been watching me in practice sessions, it's been a challenging time because it seemed I've had no rhythm completely," commented Healy.
"Yet the moment you enter the playing area, your competitive instincts take over and you completely engage with the match."
Healy's competitiveness has consistently been her key asset - and an invaluable trait in succeeding legendary former captain Meg Lanning.
She was challenged by India's emerging talent Kranti Gaud in the previous month's ODI series, out to the young fast bowler in all three matches, but here that only provided Healy's spark.
A single came off Gaud's first delivery and from that point Healy was on her way.
"A chance to play and engage in competition with her and merely enjoy the moment that way, kind of motivated me," said Healy.
She achieved fifty in 35 deliveries - her quickest at the global tournament - and her hundred in 84 as she flogged anything short, hitting 21 fours and three big hits.
When she was out Australia required another 66 at run per delivery - an achievable target now needing a comfortable finish.
"Chasing 330 runs is unfamiliar ground so I'm happy we have the belief to do that now," stated Healy further.
"Ideally we won't need to do it another time but, if necessary, we believe we can succeed."
That comment will be the final thing Australia's opponents at this World Cup should hear.
Over the past five days a belief they will triumph from any situation has only strengthened - this victory succeeding success over Pakistan by 107 runs despite struggling at 76-7 at one point.
Next Australia play Bangladesh before a meeting with traditional opponents England in Indore in 10 days, by which point a semi-final berth may well be secure.
During that phase they exited the previous year's T20 World Cup in a shock defeat 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 afterwards commented she wished she had played through the pain.
But while she later admitted those injuries have delayed plans to retire, this championship is likely to be her last as captain in ODI cricket and she is hasn't yet secured a global event as leader.
Victory in India would bring her to the top of her final mountain.
