The Australian Team Breaks New Ground as Captain Alyssa Healy Has One Peak Left to Climb.
It's difficult for Australia to set fresh records.
The highest peaks have been successfully scaled.
We're talking about the team that has secured seven Cricket World Cups, plus six more T20 titles, and once went 1,294 days unbeaten in 50-over cricket.
The secondary achievements, the ones sought by the peak baggers, are the only things left for a side that has achieved everything.
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That it took until Sunday's three-wicket win over India for them to accomplish their maiden ODI chase exceeding 300, taking back their record for the largest in the female 50-over format, is, in truth, a tribute to the bowling attack that have worn canary yellow over the last half-century.
It's difficult for their batters to hold a record if never given the opportunity.
In the end, the result of Australia giving up 330 runs was skipper Alyssa Healy getting a platform to create her newest gem.
Then best known as the teenage relative of famous ex Aussie wicketkeeper Ian, she made her debut in 2010 after Australia couldn't capture either of the T20 or ODI World Cups from the prior year and has experienced everything through 15 successful years since.
Success in the T20 World Cup arrived three months after her first appearance and seven world titles have resulted from 10 attempts 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 "pushed us to reevaluate our levels," Healy said this week.
At the following one-day championship in New Zealand, Healy hit 170 against England in the final and was named player of the tournament. She guaranteed her country would not fall short again.
If this recent magnificent innings exceeded that prior achievement can be debated.
Some will argue the argument supporting final game tension. Some might respond with the test that comes when pursuing an unprecedented total and a loud pro-India audience of 20,000.
What is certain is this century was much more difficult to anticipate.
The Christchurch carnage in 2022 happened while she topped the run-scoring charts, but this performance came after six matches in India from the beginning of the previous month in which she had failed to pass 30.
"If you've been watching me in the nets, it's been a challenging time because I feel like I lacked timing completely," commented Healy.
"However when you take the field, your fighting spirit activate and you completely engage with the match."
Healy's competitive nature has continuously been her major advantage - and an irreplaceable characteristic in succeeding iconic ex-skipper Meg Lanning.
She was challenged by India's emerging talent Kranti Gaud in recent ODI series, dismissed by the emerging pace bowler in every game, but here that only provided Healy's motivation.
A single came off Gaud's first delivery and from that point the batsman was on her way.
"The possibility to go out there and lock in a contest with her and simply enjoy myself in that regard, somewhat inspired me," commented Healy.
She reached fifty in 35 deliveries - her quickest at the global tournament - and her ton in 84 balls as she flogged anything short, hitting 21 fours and three sixes.
Once she was out her side needed 66 more at run per delivery - a manageable total now requiring a leisurely stroll.
"To chase 330 is new territory so I'm happy we have the assurance to do that now," continued Healy.
"Hopefully we don't have to do it again but, if we do, we are confident we can achieve it."
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 only strengthened - this success following victory over Pakistan by 107 runs despite sitting at 76-7 at one point.
Next Australia play Bangladesh before an encounter with old rivals England in Indore in a week and a half, by which point a semi-final berth may probably be guaranteed.
During that phase they left last year's T20 World Cup in a shock defeat by South Africa - a game Healy was absent due to damaged tissue in her foot as she captained her nation for the inaugural occasion at a significant event.
So great is her will, she subsequently stated she regretted not playing with the discomfort.
But while she later admitted those fitness problems have pushed back consideration of ending her career, this championship is anticipated as her last as captain in one-day cricket and she is still to achieve an international tournament as captain.
Success in India would take her to the summit of her final mountain.