Australia Sets a New Benchmark as Healy Confronts Her Ultimate Challenge.
It's a challenge for the Australian squad to achieve unprecedented feats.
The highest peaks have been successfully scaled.
We're talking about the squad that has claimed seven Cricket World Cups, plus an additional six T20 titles, and earlier maintained over three years unbeaten in 50-over cricket.
The secondary achievements, the ones sought by the peak baggers, are the only things left for a team that has achieved everything.
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It needed as late as Sunday's three-wicket win over India for them to achieve their initial ODI chase above 300, taking back their record for the highest in women's cricket's 50-over format, is, in truth, a tribute to the bowling attack that have represented Australia over the last half-century.
It is hard for their batsmen to possess a record if not afforded the opportunity.
Finally, the outcome of Australia giving up 330 runs was captain Alyssa Healy receiving a platform to deliver her latest masterpiece.
Originally famous as the young family member of renowned former Aussie wicketkeeper Ian, she debuted in 2010 after Australia didn't secure either of the T20 or ODI World Cups held the previous year and has experienced everything through 15 trophy-laden years since.
A T20 championship victory happened three months after her first appearance and seven international trophies have followed from 10 efforts across formats.
The tough gloveman was in attendance in Derby in 2017 when a last-four loss by India temporarily stopped the run of success.
That loss "motivated us to reconsider our benchmarks," Healy stated recently.
At the subsequent ODI World Cup in New Zealand, Healy made 170 against England in the championship match and was named player of the tournament. She guaranteed her country would not come up short.
The question of whether this latest epic knock surpassed that earlier display can be debated.
Certain people claim the reasoning behind the pressure of a final. Some might respond 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 far harder to predict.
The New Zealand onslaught in 2022 happened while she was the highest scorer, but this innings was preceded by six games in India since the start of last month in which she had been unable to reach 30.
"If you've been watching me in the nets, it's been a challenging time because I feel like I lacked timing completely," commented Healy.
"Yet the moment you enter the playing area, your competitive nature activate and you simply focus on the contest."
Healy's competitive nature has continuously been her great strength - and an invaluable trait in succeeding famous previous leader Meg Lanning.
She was challenged by India's emerging talent Kranti Gaud in the previous month's ODI series, out to the emerging pace bowler in each encounter, but this time it merely gave Healy's inspiration.
One run resulted off the bowler's initial ball and from there the batsman was underway.
"An opportunity to take the field and engage in competition with her and simply enjoy myself in that aspect, sort of got me going," said Healy.
She got to fifty in 35 balls - her quickest 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 removed her side needed 66 additional runs at run per delivery - a manageable total now needing a comfortable finish.
"To chase 330 is unfamiliar ground so I'm happy we have the confidence to accomplish that now," continued Healy.
"Ideally we won't need to do it again but, if necessary, we are confident we can succeed."
These statements will be the ultimate thing rival teams at this World Cup want to hear.
During the last week a belief they will triumph from any situation has grown stronger - this success succeeding success over Pakistan by 107 runs despite sitting at 76-7 at one stage.
Next Australia play Bangladesh before a match against traditional opponents England in Indore in 10 days, by which point a semi-final place may probably be guaranteed.
It was at that stage they left the previous year's T20 World Cup in a shock defeat by South Africa - an encounter Healy missed because of damaged tissue in her foot as she captained her nation for the initial instance at an important competition.
So great is her will, she later said she wished she had played through the pain.
Yet even as she subsequently acknowledged those physical issues have postponed plans to retire, this tournament is expected to be her last as captain in ODI cricket and she is still to achieve a global event as captain.
Triumph in India would lead her to the peak of her last major obstacle.