Australia Breaks New Ground as Healy Confronts Her Ultimate Challenge.
It's a challenge for the Australian squad to break new ground.
The highest peaks have long been mastered.
We're talking about the squad that has secured seven Cricket World Cups, along with an additional six T20 titles, and previously enjoyed 1,294 days undefeated in 50-over cricket.
The secondary achievements, targeted by the record chasers, are the only things left for a side that has achieved everything.
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The fact it required as late as Sunday's victory by three wickets over India for them to complete their first ODI chase above 300, regaining their record for the highest in the female 50-over format, is, honestly, a compliment to the bowling attack that have sported the yellow jersey over the last half-century.
It's challenging for their hitters to possess a record if not provided the opportunity.
Ultimately, the consequence of Australia conceding 330 was skipper Alyssa Healy getting an opportunity to create her newest gem.
Initially recognized as the teenage relative of famous ex Aussie wicketkeeper Ian, she first played in 2010 after her country failed to win either of the T20 or ODI World Cups conducted earlier and has seen it all through 15 trophy-laden years since.
A T20 championship victory happened three months after her bow and seven international trophies have followed from 10 efforts across formats.
The gritty keeper was also there in Derby in 2017 when a last-four loss by India momentarily interrupted the winning streak.
That loss "drove us to reevaluate our levels," Healy stated recently.
At the following one-day championship in New Zealand, Healy made 170 against England in the final and was named player of the tournament. She ensured her country would not fail again.
Whether this newest brilliant performance topped that previous effort is debatable.
Some will argue the argument supporting championship match pressure. Different voices suggest with the difficulty 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 New Zealand onslaught in 2022 came as she topped the run-scoring charts, but this innings followed six innings in India since the start of last month in which she had not exceeded 30 runs.
"If you've been watching me in training, it has been a disappointing period because it seemed I've had no rhythm at all," stated Healy.
"However when you take the field, your competitive nature activate and you simply focus on the competition."
Healy's fighting spirit has continuously been her great strength - and an invaluable trait in succeeding legendary former captain Meg Lanning.
She was tormented by India's rising star Kranti Gaud in the previous month's ODI series, out to the 22-year-old seamer in all three matches, but this time it merely gave Healy's motivation.
A single was taken off the opening delivery and from that point the batsman was underway.
"A chance to play and engage in competition with her and simply enjoy myself that way, sort of got me going," said Healy.
She got to fifty in 35 balls - her fastest at a World Cup - and her century in 84 deliveries while she attacked short-pitched balls, scoring 21 fours and three maximums.
By the time she was out her side needed 66 more at run per delivery - a manageable total now requiring a leisurely stroll.
"Chasing 330 runs is uncharted waters so I'm happy we have the confidence to achieve that now," added Healy.
"Hopefully we don't have to do it another time but, should it happen, we are confident we can achieve it."
That comment will be the last competing nations at this tournament need to hear.
In recent days a feeling they will triumph from any situation has only strengthened - this triumph coming after victory over Pakistan by 107 run margin despite sitting at 76-7 at a certain moment.
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.
During that phase they were eliminated from the prior year's T20 World Cup in a shock defeat by South Africa - a game Healy missed because of damaged tissue in her foot as she guided Australia for the first time at a major tournament.
So great is her will, she afterwards commented she wanted to have participated despite the injury.
Yet even as she afterwards confessed those injuries have pushed back plans to retire, this World Cup is anticipated as her last as captain in ODI cricket and she is hasn't yet secured a world championship as skipper.
Success in India would bring her to the top of her final mountain.