Australia Breaks New Ground as Healy Confronts Her Ultimate Challenge.
It's tough for the Australian squad to set fresh records.
The top summits have already been conquered.
This is the squad that has secured seven Cricket World Cups, plus six more T20 titles, and previously enjoyed 1,294 days unbeaten in 50-over cricket.
The remaining milestones, targeted by the record chasers, are what's still available for a squad that has won it all.
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That it took until Sunday's three-wicket win over India for them to complete their first ODI chase above 300, regaining their record for the largest in women's cricket's 50-over format, is, honestly, a testament to the bowling attack that have sported the yellow jersey over the last half-century.
It's challenging for their batsmen to hold a record if not afforded the opportunity.
Ultimately, the consequence of Australia allowing 330 runs was skipper Alyssa Healy getting a chance to produce her most recent brilliance.
Then best known as the young family member of renowned former Aussie wicketkeeper Ian, she debuted in 2010 after her country didn't secure either of the 20 or 50-over 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 bow and seven global championships have resulted from 10 tries across formats.
The determined wicketkeeper was in attendance in Derby in 2017 when a semi-final defeat by India temporarily stopped the run of success.
That loss "motivated us to reevaluate our levels," Healy said this week.
At the subsequent ODI World Cup in New Zealand, Healy made 170 against England in the final and was declared player of the series. She ensured her country would not fall short again.
The question of whether this recent magnificent innings surpassed that earlier display remains open for discussion.
Some will argue the argument supporting final game tension. Different voices suggest with the test that comes when confronting a historic chase and an enthusiastic Indian fanbase of 20,000.
What's definite is this ton was much more difficult to predict.
The New Zealand onslaught in 2022 occurred when she topped the run-scoring charts, but this knock came after six matches in India over the past few weeks in which she had failed to pass 30.
"If you've observed me in practice sessions, it was a challenging time because I feel like I lacked timing whatsoever," commented Healy.
"But once you take the field, your fighting spirit kick in and you just lock into the contest."
Healy's fighting spirit has always been her key asset - and an irreplaceable characteristic in succeeding iconic ex-skipper Meg Lanning.
She was troubled by India's promising player Kranti Gaud in the previous month's ODI series, fallen to the young fast bowler in all three matches, but this time it merely gave Healy's inspiration.
A single came off Gaud's first delivery and from that point the batsman was underway.
"The possibility to go out there and engage in competition with her and just have a bit of fun that way, somewhat inspired me," stated Healy.
She got to fifty in 35 balls - her fastest at the World Cup - and her hundred in 84 deliveries while she punished short deliveries, scoring 21 fours and three sixes.
Once she was out her side needed 66 additional runs at one run per ball - a manageable total now needing a comfortable finish.
"To chase 330 is uncharted waters so I am glad we have the belief to achieve that now," continued Healy.
"Preferably we shouldn't have to do it another time but, if we do, we are confident we can succeed."
These statements will be the ultimate thing Australia's opponents at this championship should hear.
During the last week a feeling they will succeed regardless of circumstances has grown stronger - this victory succeeding win against Pakistan by 107 runs despite being 76-7 at a certain moment.
Subsequently Australia meet Bangladesh before a match against old rivals England in Indore in ten days, by which point a last-four spot may well be secure.
It was at that stage they were eliminated from the previous year's T20 World Cup in a surprising setback by South Africa - an encounter Healy couldn't play because of ruptured tissue in her foot as she led her country for the first time at an important competition.
So great is her will, she later said she wanted to have participated despite the injury.
But while she later admitted those injuries have delayed plans to retire, this World Cup is anticipated as her concluding event as leader in one-day cricket and she is yet to win a global event as captain.
Victory in India would take her to the summit of her last major obstacle.