Australia Sets a New Benchmark as Healy Has One Peak Left to Climb.
It's a challenge for the Australian squad to achieve unprecedented feats.
The highest peaks have already been conquered.
This is the unit that has won seven Cricket World Cups, plus an additional six T20 titles, and previously enjoyed 1,294 days unbeaten in 50-over cricket.
The remaining milestones, targeted by the record chasers, are what's still available for a team that has won it all.
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That it took as late as Sunday's three-wicket win over India for them to complete their first ODI chase above 300, taking back their record for the biggest in women's cricket's 50-over format, is, in truth, a compliment to the pitchers that have sported the yellow jersey over the past 50 years.
It is hard for their batsmen to hold a record if not afforded the chance.
Finally, the result of Australia allowing 330 runs was captain Alyssa Healy being given a chance to deliver her most recent brilliance.
Originally famous as the young family member of famous ex Aussie wicketkeeper Ian, she debuted in 2010 after her country couldn't capture either of the 20 or 50-over World Cups conducted earlier and has experienced everything through 15 championship-filled years since.
Success in the T20 World Cup happened three months after her bow and seven world titles have come from 10 efforts across formats.
The tough gloveman was in attendance in Derby in 2017 when a semi-final defeat by India momentarily interrupted the successful run.
That loss "motivated us to rethink our standards," Healy commented earlier.
At the following one-day championship in New Zealand, Healy scored 170 against England in the championship match and was awarded tournament MVP. She guaranteed her country would not fail again.
Whether this recent magnificent innings topped that previous effort is debatable.
Certain people claim the reasoning behind final game tension. Some might respond with the challenge that comes when confronting a historic chase and a raucous India-supporting crowd of 20,000.
What is certain is this century was far harder to see coming.
The New Zealand onslaught in 2022 occurred when she topped the run-scoring charts, but this knock followed six innings in India from the beginning of the previous month in which she had failed to pass 30.
"If you've been watching me in training, it's been a disappointing period because I feel like my form was missing at all," stated Healy.
"But once you enter the playing area, your fighting spirit take over and you simply focus on the contest."
Healy's fighting spirit has consistently been her major advantage - and an invaluable trait in taking over from legendary former captain Meg Lanning.
She was troubled by India's promising player Kranti Gaud in recent ODI series, out to the emerging pace bowler in every game, but here that only provided Healy's spark.
A single came off the bowler's initial ball and from there the batsman was underway.
"An opportunity to play and face the challenge with her and simply enjoy myself in that aspect, kind of motivated me," commented Healy.
She achieved fifty in 35 pitches - her swiftest at the World Cup - and her ton in 84 deliveries while she attacked short-pitched balls, striking 21 boundaries and three maximums.
By the time she was out her side needed 66 additional runs at one run per ball - an achievable target now needing a comfortable finish.
"Chasing 330 runs is unfamiliar ground so I am glad we have the confidence to do that now," added Healy.
"Preferably we shouldn't have to do it again but, if we do, we know we can do it."
Those words will be the last rival teams at this tournament should hear.
During the last week a sense they will win from any position has only strengthened - this victory succeeding win against Pakistan by 107 run margin despite sitting at 76-7 at one point.
Next Australia play Bangladesh before a match against old rivals England in Indore in 10 days, by which point a semi-final place may well be secure.
It was in the semi-finals they left last year's T20 World Cup in an unexpected loss by South Africa - an encounter Healy was absent due to damaged tissue in her foot as she led her country for the initial instance at a major tournament.
Such is her determination, she afterwards commented she wished she had played through the pain.
However although she afterwards confessed those injuries have pushed back thoughts of retirement, this World Cup is likely to be her final tournament as skipper in one-day cricket and she is still to achieve a global event as leader.
Victory in India would take her to the summit of her last major obstacle.
