Australia Establishes a Fresh Record as Captain Alyssa Healy Confronts Her Ultimate Challenge.
It's difficult for Australia to set fresh records.
The highest peaks have been successfully scaled.
We're talking about the team that has won seven Cricket World Cups, plus six more T20 titles, and earlier maintained 1,294 days unbeaten in 50-over cricket.
The remaining milestones, targeted by the peak baggers, are what's still available for a squad that has won it all.
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That it took up to Sunday's success by three wickets over India for them to complete their first ODI chase over 300, regaining their record for the highest in women's cricket's 50-over format, is, honestly, a testament to the pitchers that have worn canary yellow over the last half-century.
It's challenging for their batters to hold a record if not provided the opportunity.
Ultimately, the consequence of Australia allowing 330 runs was captain Alyssa Healy being given an opportunity to deliver her latest masterpiece.
Originally famous as the 19-year-old niece of famous ex Aussie wicketkeeper Ian, she made her debut in 2010 after her nation didn't secure either of the T20 or ODI World Cups held the previous year and has seen it all through 15 championship-filled years since.
A T20 championship victory arrived three months after her first appearance and seven world titles have followed from 10 efforts across formats.
The determined wicketkeeper was in attendance in Derby in 2017 when a semi-final defeat by India momentarily interrupted the run of success.
That loss "motivated us to reconsider our benchmarks," Healy stated recently.
At the subsequent ODI World Cup in New Zealand, Healy hit 170 against England in the final and was declared player of the series. She made sure her country would not fall short again.
If this newest brilliant performance topped that previous effort is debatable.
Some will argue the case for final game tension. Some might respond with the test that comes when facing a record target and an enthusiastic Indian fanbase of 20,000.
What is certain is this hundred was considerably tougher to see coming.
The Christchurch carnage in 2022 happened while she led the batting statistics, but this performance was preceded by six games in India over the past few weeks in which she had not exceeded 30 runs.
"If you've observed me in the nets, it's been a disappointing period because it seemed I've had no rhythm at all," stated Healy.
"Yet the moment you step out on the field, your competitive nature activate and you just lock into the contest."
Healy's competitiveness has consistently been her great strength - and an irreplaceable characteristic in replacing famous previous leader Meg Lanning.
She was tormented by India's emerging talent Kranti Gaud in the previous month's ODI series, fallen to the emerging pace bowler in each encounter, but on this occasion it simply offered Healy's spark.
A single came off the opening delivery and from that point Healy was in motion.
"The possibility to go out there and lock in a contest with her and simply enjoy myself in that aspect, sort of got me going," commented Healy.
She achieved fifty in 35 deliveries - her swiftest at the global tournament - and her hundred in 84 deliveries while she attacked short-pitched balls, hitting 21 fours and three big hits.
By the time she was out the team needed 66 additional runs at a run-a-ball - an unconquered height now demanding an easy conclusion.
"To chase 330 is unfamiliar ground so I am glad we have the belief to accomplish that now," added Healy.
"Hopefully we don't have to do it again but, if we do, we are confident we can succeed."
These statements will be the final thing competing nations at this championship should hear.
Over the past five days a sense they will win from any position has grown stronger - this success succeeding success over Pakistan by 107-run victory despite sitting at 76-7 at one stage.
Next Australia play Bangladesh before a meeting with traditional opponents England in Indore in a week and a half, by which point a semi-final berth may well be secure.
It was in the semi-finals they were eliminated from the previous year's T20 World Cup in a surprising setback by South Africa - a game Healy was absent due to torn tissue in her foot as she guided Australia for the first time at an important competition.
So great is her will, she later said she wished she had played through the pain.
But while she later admitted those fitness problems have delayed thoughts of retirement, this championship is expected to be her final tournament as skipper in ODI cricket and she is still to achieve a global event as leader.
Victory in India would take her to the summit of her final mountain.