The Australian Team Establishes a Fresh Record as Captain Alyssa Healy Faces One Final Mountain.
It's a challenge for Australia to set fresh records.
The greatest achievements have been successfully scaled.
This is the unit that has claimed seven Cricket World Cups, along with another six T20 titles, and previously enjoyed 1,294 days undefeated in 50-over cricket.
The secondary achievements, those for the record chasers, are the only things left for a team that has won it all.
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That it took up to Sunday's success by three wickets over India for them to achieve their initial ODI chase exceeding 300, regaining their record for the biggest in the female 50-over format, is, frankly, a testament to the bowling attack that have represented Australia over the past 50 years.
It is hard for their hitters to hold a record if never given the chance.
Ultimately, the result of Australia conceding 330 was captain Alyssa Healy receiving an opportunity to create her most recent brilliance.
Initially recognized as the teenage relative of celebrated previous Aussie wicketkeeper Ian, she debuted in 2010 after Australia failed to win either of the 20 or 50-over World Cups held the previous year and has witnessed all through 15 championship-filled years since.
A T20 championship victory happened three months after her debut and seven global championships have come from 10 tries across formats.
The determined wicketkeeper was in attendance in Derby in 2017 when a semi-final setback by India momentarily interrupted the run of success.
That loss "drove us to reconsider our benchmarks," Healy said this week.
At the following one-day championship in New Zealand, Healy hit 170 against England in the championship match and was awarded tournament MVP. She ensured her country would not fail again.
The question of whether this latest epic knock exceeded that prior achievement is debatable.
Some will argue the case for final game tension. Others can counter with the test that comes when pursuing an unprecedented total and a raucous India-supporting crowd of 20,000.
What's clear is this ton was far harder to predict.
The Christchurch destruction in 2022 occurred when she was the highest scorer, but this knock was preceded by six games in India from the beginning of the previous month in which she had been unable to reach 30.
"If you've observed me in the nets, it was a challenging time because it seemed I've had no rhythm whatsoever," stated Healy.
"Yet the moment you enter the playing area, your competitive nature activate and you just lock into the competition."
Healy's competitiveness has continuously been her key asset - and an irreplaceable characteristic in succeeding iconic ex-skipper Meg Lanning.
She was troubled by India's rising star Kranti Gaud in recent ODI series, out to the emerging pace bowler in all three matches, but here that only provided Healy's inspiration.
A single was taken off the opening delivery and after that the batsman was on her way.
"A chance to play and lock in a contest with her and just have a bit of fun that way, sort of got me going," said Healy.
She got to fifty in 35 balls - her quickest at a World Cup - and her ton in 84 balls as she flogged anything short, hitting 21 fours and three maximums.
By the time she was dismissed her side required another 66 at a run-a-ball - an unconquered height now demanding an easy conclusion.
"Chasing 330 runs is uncharted waters so I'm happy we have the belief to achieve that now," continued Healy.
"Preferably we shouldn't have to do it again but, if we do, we know we can achieve it."
Those words will be the final thing competing nations at this World Cup want to hear.
In recent days a sense they will triumph from any situation has only strengthened - this victory succeeding success over Pakistan by 107 runs despite struggling at 76-7 at one point.
Following this Australia face Bangladesh before a meeting with longtime competitors England in Indore in a week and a half, 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 - an encounter Healy missed because of ruptured tissue in her foot as she captained her nation for the inaugural occasion at a significant event.
So great is her will, she afterwards commented she wished she had played despite the injury.
However although she later admitted those physical issues have delayed thoughts of retirement, this World Cup is likely to be her last as captain in one-day cricket and she is yet to win a world championship as leader.
Triumph in India would bring her to the top of her ultimate challenge.