Australia Breaks New Ground as Healy Has One Peak Left to Climb.
It's difficult for Australia to achieve unprecedented feats.
The highest peaks have been successfully scaled.
This is the squad that has won seven Cricket World Cups, along with another six T20 titles, and earlier maintained over three years without defeat in 50-over cricket.
The secondary achievements, the ones sought by the achievement hunters, are the only things left for a side that has achieved everything.
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It needed up to Sunday's three-wicket win over India for them to accomplish their maiden ODI chase above 300, reclaiming their record for the biggest in the women's 50-over format, is, frankly, a testament to the bowling attack that have worn canary yellow over the past 50 years.
It's challenging for their hitters to maintain a record if not afforded the possibility.
Ultimately, the outcome of Australia giving up 330 runs was captain Alyssa Healy getting an opportunity to deliver her newest gem.
Initially recognized as the 19-year-old niece of famous ex Aussie wicketkeeper Ian, she debuted in 2010 after Australia couldn't capture 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 bow and seven global championships have followed from 10 efforts across formats.
The tough gloveman was also there in Derby in 2017 when a semi-final setback by India temporarily stopped the successful run.
That loss "drove us to rethink our standards," Healy commented earlier.
At the next 50-over World Cup in New Zealand, Healy scored 170 against England in the final and was awarded tournament MVP. She made sure her country would not fall short again.
Whether this newest brilliant performance topped that previous effort can be debated.
Certain people claim the argument supporting the pressure of a final. Others can counter with the difficulty that comes when pursuing an unprecedented total and a loud pro-India audience of 20,000.
What's clear is this century was considerably tougher to see coming.
The New Zealand onslaught 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 failed to pass 30.
"If you've been watching me in training, it was a disappointing period because I feel like my form was missing completely," commented Healy.
"But once you step out on the field, your competitive nature take over and you completely engage with the match."
Healy's competitiveness has always been her major advantage - and a priceless quality in succeeding iconic ex-skipper Meg Lanning.
She was challenged by India's rising star Kranti Gaud in recent ODI series, fallen to the young fast bowler in each encounter, but on this occasion it simply offered Healy's spark.
A single was taken off the bowler's initial ball and from that point the batsman was underway.
"An opportunity to play and engage in competition with her and just have a bit of fun in that aspect, sort of got me going," said Healy.
She achieved fifty in 35 deliveries - her quickest at a World Cup - and her ton in 84 balls as she attacked short-pitched balls, hitting 21 fours and three big hits.
Once she was out Australia required another 66 at run per delivery - an achievable target now requiring a leisurely stroll.
"To chase 330 is unfamiliar ground so I'm pleased we have the belief to accomplish that now," added Healy.
"Ideally we won't need to do it again but, should it happen, we know we can do it."
Those words will be the final thing Australia's opponents at this championship want to hear.
During the last week a sense they will triumph from any situation has grown stronger - this triumph coming after success over Pakistan by 107-run victory despite sitting at 76-7 at a certain moment.
Following this Australia face Bangladesh before an encounter with old rivals England in Indore in ten days, by which point a semi-final berth may well be secure.
It was in the semi-finals they left the previous year's T20 World Cup in a surprising setback by South Africa - a match Healy couldn't play because of damaged tissue in her foot as she guided Australia for the initial instance at a significant event.
Such is her determination, she later said she regretted not playing despite the injury.
However although she later admitted those fitness problems have delayed consideration of ending her career, this tournament is anticipated as her last as captain in 50-over cricket and she is yet to win a world championship as captain.
Success in India would take her to the summit of her final mountain.
