Australia Sets a New Benchmark as Captain Alyssa Healy Faces One Final Mountain.
It's difficult for Australia to achieve unprecedented feats.
The highest peaks have long been mastered.
We're talking about the squad that has won seven Cricket World Cups, in addition to six more T20 titles, and previously enjoyed over three years unbeaten in 50-over cricket.
The secondary achievements, those for the achievement hunters, are what's still available for a squad that has achieved everything.
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It needed until Sunday's victory by three wickets over India for them to accomplish their maiden ODI chase exceeding 300, regaining their record for the biggest in the female 50-over format, is, frankly, a tribute to the bowling attack that have represented Australia over the past 50 years.
It is hard for their batters to possess a record if never given the chance.
In the end, the consequence of Australia giving up 330 runs was leader Alyssa Healy being given a platform to produce her most recent brilliance.
Then best known as the 19-year-old niece of renowned former Aussie wicketkeeper Ian, she made her debut in 2010 after her country couldn't capture either of the T20 or ODI World Cups held the previous year and has seen it all through 15 trophy-laden years since.
A T20 championship victory arrived three months after her debut and seven international trophies have come from 10 tries across formats.
The gritty keeper was also there in Derby in 2017 when a semi-final setback by India briefly halted the run of success.
That loss "drove us to rethink our standards," Healy commented earlier.
At the subsequent ODI World Cup in New Zealand, Healy made 170 against England in the title decider and was declared player of the series. She ensured her country would not fall short again.
The question of whether this recent magnificent innings exceeded that prior achievement remains open for discussion.
Many contend 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 far harder to see coming.
The Christchurch carnage in 2022 came as she led the batting statistics, but this innings 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 practice sessions, it's been a challenging time because I feel like my form was missing whatsoever," commented Healy.
"But once you enter the playing area, your competitive nature take over and you simply focus on the competition."
Healy's fighting spirit has always been her great strength - and an irreplaceable characteristic in succeeding iconic ex-skipper Meg Lanning.
She was tormented by India's rising star Kranti Gaud in last month's ODI series, out to the young fast bowler in all three matches, but here that only provided Healy's inspiration.
A single was taken off the opening delivery and from there the right-hander was in motion.
"An opportunity to take the field and engage in competition with her and simply enjoy myself that way, kind of motivated me," stated Healy.
She reached fifty in 35 balls - her fastest at a World Cup - and her century in 84 deliveries while she punished short deliveries, striking 21 boundaries and three big hits.
Once she was dismissed the team needed 66 more at one run per ball - a manageable total now requiring a leisurely stroll.
"Pursuing 330 is unfamiliar ground so I'm pleased we have the assurance to do that now," continued Healy.
"Preferably we shouldn't have to do it another time but, if necessary, we believe we can achieve it."
That comment will be the ultimate thing Australia's opponents at this championship need to hear.
Over the past five days a feeling they will succeed regardless of circumstances has only strengthened - this triumph coming after success over Pakistan by 107 runs despite sitting at 76-7 at a certain moment.
Subsequently Australia meet Bangladesh before a match against old rivals England in Indore in a week and a half, by which point a semi-final place may likely be confirmed.
It was at that stage they left the prior year's T20 World Cup in a surprising setback by South Africa - a match Healy couldn't play because of ruptured tissue in her foot as she led her country for the inaugural occasion at an important competition.
Such is her determination, she afterwards commented she regretted not playing with the discomfort.
Yet even as she afterwards confessed those fitness problems have delayed plans to retire, this tournament is likely to be her final tournament as skipper in one-day cricket and she is still to achieve an international tournament as captain.
Victory in India would bring her to the top of her last major obstacle.