Australia Breaks New Ground as Captain Alyssa Healy Confronts Her Ultimate Challenge.
It's tough for the Australian squad to break new ground.
The highest peaks have already been conquered.
We're talking about the squad that has won seven Cricket World Cups, plus six more T20 titles, and previously enjoyed nearly four years unbeaten in 50-over cricket.
The secondary achievements, targeted by the peak baggers, are all that remain for a team that has won it all.
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That it took up to Sunday's three-wicket win over India for them to achieve their initial ODI chase exceeding 300, taking back their record for the biggest in women's cricket's 50-over format, is, honestly, a compliment to the pitchers that have sported the yellow jersey over the last half-century.
It's challenging for their hitters to possess a record if not afforded the chance.
Finally, the result of Australia conceding 330 was skipper Alyssa Healy getting a platform to deliver her latest masterpiece.
Initially recognized as the teenage relative of renowned former Aussie wicketkeeper Ian, she debuted in 2010 after her country didn't secure either of the T20 or ODI World Cups held the previous year and has witnessed all through 15 championship-filled years since.
A T20 World Cup win arrived three months after her debut and seven international trophies have come from 10 tries across formats.
The tough gloveman was also there in Derby in 2017 when a last-four loss by India temporarily stopped the successful run.
That loss "drove us to rethink our standards," Healy said this week.
At the following one-day championship in New Zealand, Healy made 170 against England in the championship match and was awarded tournament MVP. She ensured her country would not fall short again.
If this latest epic knock surpassed that earlier display is debatable.
Certain people claim the argument supporting championship match pressure. Different voices suggest with the challenge 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 anticipate.
The Christchurch carnage in 2022 came as she topped the run-scoring charts, but this performance came after six matches in India since the start of last month in which she had not exceeded 30 runs.
"If you've observed me in the nets, it was a frustrating experience because I feel like I've had no rhythm completely," stated Healy.
"Yet the moment you take the field, your fighting spirit kick in and you just lock into the contest."
Healy's fighting spirit has continuously been her key asset - and a priceless quality in succeeding iconic ex-skipper Meg Lanning.
She was troubled by India's rising star Kranti Gaud in recent ODI series, fallen to the young fast bowler in each encounter, but here that only provided Healy's spark.
A single came off the opening delivery and from that point the batsman was underway.
"The possibility to take the field and lock in a contest with her and just have a bit of fun that way, sort of got me going," said Healy.
She achieved fifty in 35 pitches - her swiftest at the global tournament - and her hundred in 84 balls as she attacked short-pitched balls, scoring 21 fours and three maximums.
Once she was dismissed her side needed 66 more at run per delivery - an unconquered height now needing a comfortable finish.
"To chase 330 is new territory so I am glad we have the assurance to do that now," continued Healy.
"Hopefully we don't have to repeat it but, if necessary, we know we can succeed."
That comment will be the last Australia's opponents at this championship need to hear.
During the last week a belief they will win from any position has become more firm - this triumph succeeding win against Pakistan by 107 runs despite being 76-7 at a certain moment.
Subsequently Australia meet Bangladesh before a meeting with old rivals England in Indore in ten days, by which point a semi-final place may well be secure.
It was in the semi-finals they were eliminated from the prior year's T20 World Cup in a surprising setback by South Africa - a game Healy couldn't play because of ruptured 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 wanted to have participated despite the injury.
However although she subsequently acknowledged those physical issues have postponed thoughts of retirement, 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.
Success in India would bring her to the top of her last major obstacle.