Australia Sets a New Benchmark as Captain Alyssa Healy Faces One Final Mountain.
It's difficult for Australia to set fresh records.
The highest peaks have long been mastered.
We're talking about the team that has secured seven Cricket World Cups, plus an additional six T20 titles, and earlier maintained over three years undefeated in 50-over cricket.
The alternative records, the ones sought by the achievement hunters, are the only things left for a side that has achieved everything.
- Healy's Ton Assists Australia to Unprecedented Chase
- ICC Women's World Cup 2025 - Fixtures, Results & Scorecards
- Women's World Cup Table, Top Run-Scorers & Wicket-Takers
It needed as late as Sunday's victory by three wickets over India for them to complete their first ODI chase exceeding 300, regaining their record for the largest in the female 50-over format, is, frankly, a compliment to the bowling attack that have represented Australia over the last half-century.
It is hard for their hitters to hold a record if not provided the possibility.
Finally, the result of Australia conceding 330 was leader Alyssa Healy being given a platform to create her newest gem.
Originally famous as the teenage relative of famous ex Aussie wicketkeeper Ian, she made her debut in 2010 after her country failed to win either of the 20 or 50-over World Cups from the prior year and has seen it all through 15 championship-filled years since.
Success in the T20 World Cup happened three months after her first appearance and seven international trophies have resulted from 10 efforts across formats.
The gritty keeper was in attendance in Derby in 2017 when a semi-final defeat by India temporarily stopped the run of success.
That loss "motivated us to reconsider our benchmarks," Healy commented earlier.
At the subsequent ODI World Cup in New Zealand, Healy scored 170 against England in the final and was named player of the tournament. She ensured her country would not fall short again.
If this recent magnificent innings exceeded that prior achievement remains open for discussion.
Some will argue the case for final game tension. Different voices suggest with the challenge that comes when pursuing an unprecedented total and a raucous India-supporting crowd of 20,000.
What's definite is this century was much more difficult to predict.
The Christchurch destruction in 2022 came as 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.
"If you've been watching me in practice sessions, it has been a challenging time because I feel like my form was missing completely," stated Healy.
"But once you enter the playing area, your competitive instincts take over and you just lock into the match."
Healy's competitiveness has continuously been her great strength - and an invaluable trait in replacing legendary former captain Meg Lanning.
She was troubled by India's promising player Kranti Gaud in recent ODI series, out to the young fast bowler in each encounter, but this time it merely gave Healy's spark.
A single came off Gaud's first delivery and after that the batsman was on her way.
"An opportunity to go out there and engage in competition with her and just have a bit of fun that way, somewhat inspired me," commented Healy.
She achieved fifty in 35 pitches - her quickest at a World Cup - and her hundred in 84 deliveries while she attacked short-pitched balls, striking 21 boundaries and three maximums.
When she was out her side required another 66 at run per delivery - an achievable target now demanding an easy conclusion.
"To chase 330 is unfamiliar ground so I am glad we have the belief to achieve that now," continued Healy.
"Ideally we won't need to repeat it but, if we do, we believe we can succeed."
That comment will be the ultimate thing competing nations at this World Cup need to hear.
During the last week a belief they will win from any position has grown stronger - this success following success over Pakistan by 107 run margin despite sitting at 76-7 at one point.
Following this Australia face Bangladesh before a meeting with old rivals England in Indore in ten days, by which point a semi-final place may well be secure.
During that phase they exited the previous year's T20 World Cup in a shock defeat by South Africa - a match Healy couldn't play because of torn tissue in her foot as she guided Australia for the first time at a major tournament.
So great is her will, she later said she wanted to have participated through the pain.
But while she later admitted those fitness problems have postponed consideration of ending her career, this tournament is anticipated as her final tournament as skipper in ODI cricket and she is yet to win an international tournament as leader.
Success in India would take her to the summit of her ultimate challenge.