The Australian Team Establishes a Fresh Record as Captain Alyssa Healy Faces One Final Mountain.
It's tough for Australia to break new ground.
The top summits have been successfully scaled.
We're talking about the team that has secured seven Cricket World Cups, in addition to six more T20 titles, and earlier maintained 1,294 days undefeated in 50-over cricket.
The secondary achievements, those for the record chasers, are all that remain for a team that has won it all.
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The fact it required until Sunday's victory by three wickets over India for them to complete their first ODI chase over 300, reclaiming their record for the highest in the women's 50-over format, is, frankly, a testament 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 never given the chance.
In the end, the outcome of Australia conceding 330 was skipper Alyssa Healy being given a platform to deliver her most recent brilliance.
Then best known as the young family member of renowned former Aussie wicketkeeper Ian, she first played in 2010 after her nation couldn't capture either of the 20 or 50-over World Cups conducted earlier and has seen it all through 15 successful years since.
A T20 championship victory happened three months after her bow and seven international trophies have come from 10 attempts across formats.
The determined wicketkeeper was also there in Derby in 2017 when a last-four loss by India temporarily stopped the winning streak.
That loss "motivated us to reevaluate our levels," Healy stated recently.
At the subsequent ODI World Cup in New Zealand, Healy scored 170 against England in the championship match and was declared player of the series. She made sure her country would not fall short again.
Whether this newest brilliant performance topped that previous effort is debatable.
Some will argue the case for final game tension. Others can counter with the difficulty that comes when pursuing an unprecedented total and a raucous India-supporting crowd of 20,000.
What is certain is this hundred was considerably tougher to anticipate.
The Christchurch destruction in 2022 happened while she topped the run-scoring charts, but this performance came after six matches in India over the past few weeks in which she had been unable to reach 30.
"For those following me in the nets, it was a frustrating experience because I feel like I've had no rhythm at all," commented Healy.
"However when you take the field, your competitive instincts kick in and you simply focus on the match."
Healy's competitive nature has continuously been her key asset - and an irreplaceable characteristic in replacing famous previous leader Meg Lanning.
She was troubled by India's promising player Kranti Gaud in recent ODI series, out to the young fast bowler in all three matches, but on this occasion it simply offered Healy's motivation.
A single was taken off Gaud's first delivery and after that the right-hander was underway.
"A chance to take the field and face the challenge with her and simply enjoy myself in that regard, somewhat inspired me," commented Healy.
She got to fifty in 35 balls - her fastest at the World Cup - and her ton in 84 deliveries while she punished short deliveries, striking 21 boundaries and three sixes.
Once she was removed her side needed 66 more at a run-a-ball - a manageable total now needing a comfortable finish.
"To chase 330 is unfamiliar ground so I am glad we have the confidence to accomplish that now," continued Healy.
"Ideally we won't need to do it another time but, if necessary, we believe we can achieve it."
These statements will be the ultimate thing rival teams at this tournament should hear.
In recent days a feeling they will triumph from any situation has only strengthened - this victory succeeding success over Pakistan by 107 runs despite sitting at 76-7 at one point.
Next Australia play Bangladesh before a meeting with traditional opponents England in Indore in ten days, by which point a last-four spot may probably be guaranteed.
It was at that stage they left last year's T20 World Cup in a surprising setback by South Africa - a game Healy couldn't play because of torn tissue in her foot as she guided Australia for the inaugural occasion at a major tournament.
So great is her will, she later said she wished she had played with the discomfort.
But while she later admitted those injuries have delayed plans to retire, this championship is expected to be her final tournament as skipper in ODI cricket and she is yet to win a world championship as captain.
Triumph in India would lead her to the peak of her final mountain.