The Australian Team Establishes a Fresh Record as Healy Confronts Her Ultimate Challenge.
It's a challenge for the Australian squad to break new ground.
The top summits have been successfully scaled.
This is the team that has secured seven Cricket World Cups, in addition to an additional six T20 titles, and once went over three years without defeat in 50-over cricket.
The remaining milestones, the ones sought by the record chasers, are all that remain for a team that has achieved everything.
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That it took until Sunday's victory by three wickets over India for them to accomplish their maiden ODI chase above 300, reclaiming their record for the highest in women's cricket's 50-over format, is, frankly, a compliment to the bowling attack that have sported the yellow jersey over the past 50 years.
It's challenging for their batsmen to hold a record if not afforded the opportunity.
In the end, the consequence of Australia allowing 330 runs was leader Alyssa Healy getting a chance to produce her newest gem.
Initially recognized as the young family member of renowned former Aussie wicketkeeper Ian, she made her debut in 2010 after her nation didn't secure either of the 20 or 50-over World Cups held the previous year and has experienced everything through 15 successful years since.
A T20 World Cup win arrived three months after her debut and seven global championships have followed from 10 tries across formats.
The tough gloveman was in attendance in Derby in 2017 when a semi-final defeat by India momentarily interrupted the winning streak.
That loss "pushed us to reconsider our benchmarks," Healy said this week.
At the next 50-over World Cup in New Zealand, Healy made 170 against England in the championship match and was named player of the tournament. She ensured her country would not fail again.
Whether this newest brilliant performance exceeded that prior achievement can be debated.
Some will argue the case for the pressure of a final. Different voices suggest with the test that comes when facing a record target and a raucous India-supporting crowd of 20,000.
What's definite is this century was much more difficult to predict.
The New Zealand onslaught in 2022 happened while she led the batting statistics, but this innings was preceded by six games in India since the start of last month in which she had not exceeded 30 runs.
"If you've observed me in training, it was a challenging time because it appeared I lacked timing whatsoever," stated Healy.
"But once you enter the playing area, your fighting spirit kick in and you completely engage with the contest."
Healy's fighting spirit has always been her great strength - and an invaluable trait in taking over from famous previous leader Meg Lanning.
She was challenged by India's promising player Kranti Gaud in the previous month's ODI series, fallen to the 22-year-old seamer in every game, but on this occasion it simply offered Healy's spark.
A single came off the bowler's initial ball and after that the right-hander was in motion.
"The possibility to play and face the challenge with her and just have a bit of fun in that regard, kind of motivated me," stated Healy.
She got to fifty in 35 balls - her quickest at the global tournament - and her century in 84 deliveries while she flogged anything short, scoring 21 fours and three big hits.
Once she was dismissed her side needed 66 additional runs at run per delivery - an unconquered height now demanding an easy conclusion.
"Pursuing 330 is unfamiliar ground so I'm happy we have the assurance to accomplish that now," stated Healy further.
"Preferably we shouldn't have to repeat it but, if we do, we know we can do it."
Those words will be the ultimate thing competing nations at this championship want to hear.
In recent days a belief they will win from any position has become more firm - this triumph coming after victory over Pakistan by 107-run victory despite sitting at 76-7 at one stage.
Following this Australia face Bangladesh before a match against longtime competitors England in Indore in a week and a half, by which point a semi-final place may probably be guaranteed.
It was at that stage they left the prior year's T20 World Cup in a shock defeat by South Africa - a match Healy couldn't play because of ruptured tissue in her foot as she captained her nation for the initial instance at a major tournament.
So great is her will, she afterwards commented she wished she had played despite the injury.
Yet even as she afterwards confessed those fitness problems have delayed plans to retire, this championship is likely to be her last as captain in ODI cricket and she is still to achieve an international tournament as leader.
Victory in India would take her to the summit of her final mountain.