Australia Establishes a Fresh Record as Healy Confronts Her Ultimate Challenge.
It's tough for the Australian squad to achieve unprecedented feats.
The top summits have long been mastered.
This is the team that has secured seven Cricket World Cups, along with six more T20 titles, and previously enjoyed 1,294 days undefeated in 50-over cricket.
The secondary achievements, those for the peak baggers, are the only things left for a squad that has achieved everything.
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The fact it required as late as Sunday's success by three wickets over India for them to complete their first ODI chase exceeding 300, reclaiming their record for the biggest in the female 50-over format, is, honestly, a tribute to the pitchers that have represented Australia over the last half-century.
It is hard for their hitters to possess a record if not provided the opportunity.
Ultimately, the consequence of Australia conceding 330 was captain Alyssa Healy being given a platform to produce her latest masterpiece.
Then best known as the young family member of celebrated previous Aussie wicketkeeper Ian, she debuted in 2010 after her nation failed to win either of the T20 or ODI World Cups held the previous year and has experienced everything through 15 successful years since.
Success in the T20 World Cup happened three months after her bow and seven global championships have resulted from 10 tries across formats.
The determined wicketkeeper was also there in Derby in 2017 when a last-four loss by India momentarily interrupted the run of success.
That loss "motivated 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 ensured her country would not fail again.
The question of whether this latest epic knock surpassed that earlier display is debatable.
Some will argue the argument supporting the pressure of a final. Others can counter with the test that comes when facing a record target and a raucous India-supporting crowd of 20,000.
What's clear is this hundred was considerably tougher to anticipate.
The Christchurch carnage in 2022 came as she was the highest scorer, but this knock followed six innings in India from the beginning of the previous month in which she had not exceeded 30 runs.
"For those following me in the nets, it's been a disappointing period because it appeared my form was missing whatsoever," stated Healy.
"However when you enter the playing area, your competitive nature take over and you just lock into the match."
Healy's competitive nature has consistently been her major advantage - and a priceless quality in replacing iconic ex-skipper Meg Lanning.
She was troubled by India's emerging talent Kranti Gaud in last month's ODI series, fallen to the young fast bowler in every game, but here that only provided Healy's motivation.
A single was taken off the bowler's initial ball and from that point Healy was in motion.
"A chance to play and face the challenge with her and simply enjoy myself in that aspect, sort of got me going," said Healy.
She reached fifty in 35 pitches - her swiftest at the World Cup - and her hundred in 84 balls as she attacked short-pitched balls, scoring 21 fours and three maximums.
Once she was dismissed Australia needed 66 more at one run per ball - a manageable total now requiring a leisurely stroll.
"Pursuing 330 is unfamiliar ground so I am glad we have the belief to achieve that now," stated Healy further.
"Preferably we shouldn't have to do it another time but, should it happen, we know we can succeed."
Those words will be the ultimate thing competing nations at this World Cup should hear.
During the last week a feeling they will triumph from any situation has become more firm - this victory succeeding victory over Pakistan by 107 runs despite being 76-7 at one point.
Subsequently Australia meet Bangladesh before a meeting with traditional opponents England in Indore in ten days, by which point a semi-final berth may well be secure.
It was at that stage they were eliminated from the prior year's T20 World Cup in a shock defeat by South Africa - a match Healy missed because of ruptured tissue in her foot as she guided Australia for the initial instance at an important competition.
So great is her will, she subsequently stated she wished she had played with the discomfort.
Yet even as she subsequently acknowledged those fitness problems have postponed plans to retire, this World Cup is likely to be her concluding event as leader in one-day cricket and she is hasn't yet secured a world championship as leader.
Victory in India would bring her to the top of her last major obstacle.