The Australian Team Breaks New Ground as Healy Has One Peak Left to Climb.
It's tough for the Australian squad to achieve unprecedented feats.
The greatest achievements have been successfully scaled.
This is the team that has secured seven Cricket World Cups, along with another six T20 titles, and once went 1,294 days without defeat in 50-over cricket.
The remaining milestones, the ones sought by the peak baggers, are the only things left for a side that has achieved everything.
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It needed until Sunday's success by three wickets over India for them to achieve their initial ODI chase over 300, reclaiming their record for the highest in the female 50-over format, is, in truth, a compliment to the bowling attack that have worn canary yellow over five decades.
It's challenging for their hitters to possess a record if not afforded the possibility.
Finally, the result of Australia allowing 330 runs was skipper Alyssa Healy receiving a chance to produce her most recent brilliance.
Originally famous as the teenage relative of renowned former Aussie wicketkeeper Ian, she debuted in 2010 after Australia didn't secure either of the T20 or ODI World Cups from the prior year and has experienced everything through 15 trophy-laden years since.
Success in the T20 World Cup came three months after her first appearance and seven world titles have followed from 10 efforts across formats.
The determined wicketkeeper was present as well in Derby in 2017 when a semi-final setback by India temporarily stopped the winning streak.
That loss "drove us to reevaluate our levels," Healy said this week.
At the subsequent ODI World Cup in New Zealand, Healy scored 170 against England in the championship match and was awarded tournament MVP. She guaranteed her country would not come up short.
Whether this latest epic knock surpassed that earlier display is debatable.
Certain people claim the reasoning behind final game tension. Some might respond with the challenge that comes when pursuing an unprecedented total and a loud pro-India audience of 20,000.
What is certain is this hundred was much more difficult to see coming.
The Christchurch carnage in 2022 happened while she led the batting statistics, but this innings was preceded by six games in India from the beginning of the previous month in which she had failed to pass 30.
"If you've observed me in the nets, it's been a frustrating experience because I feel like I've had no rhythm completely," commented Healy.
"Yet the moment you step out on the field, your fighting spirit take over and you just lock into the competition."
Healy's competitiveness has continuously been her key asset - and an irreplaceable characteristic in taking over from legendary former captain Meg Lanning.
She was troubled by India's promising player Kranti Gaud in recent ODI series, fallen to the 22-year-old seamer in every game, but on this occasion it simply offered Healy's spark.
One run resulted off Gaud's first delivery and from there the right-hander was on her way.
"A chance to take the field and engage in competition with her and just have a bit of fun that way, sort of got me going," stated Healy.
She got to fifty in 35 pitches - her swiftest at the global tournament - and her century in 84 deliveries while she punished short deliveries, hitting 21 fours and three maximums.
When she was out Australia required another 66 at run per delivery - a manageable total now needing a comfortable finish.
"Pursuing 330 is uncharted waters so I'm pleased we have the confidence to achieve that now," added Healy.
"Ideally we won't need to do it another time but, should it happen, we are confident we can achieve it."
Those words will be the final thing rival teams at this World Cup want to hear.
During the last week a feeling they will succeed regardless of circumstances has become more firm - this triumph coming after win against Pakistan by 107 runs despite sitting at 76-7 at one point.
Following this Australia face Bangladesh before a match against traditional opponents England in Indore in ten days, by which point a last-four spot may well be secure.
It was at that stage they exited the previous year's T20 World Cup in a shock defeat by South Africa - a game Healy couldn't play because of damaged tissue in her foot as she captained her nation for the inaugural occasion at an important competition.
So strong is her resolve, she afterwards commented she regretted not playing despite the injury.
However although she afterwards confessed those injuries have pushed back thoughts of retirement, this World Cup is expected to be her last as captain in 50-over cricket and she is yet to win an international tournament as captain.
Triumph in India would bring her to the top of her last major obstacle.
