Australia Breaks New Ground as Captain Alyssa Healy Has One Peak Left to Climb.
It's tough for the Australian squad to achieve unprecedented feats.
The top summits have long been mastered.
This is the squad that has claimed seven Cricket World Cups, plus another six T20 titles, and earlier maintained 1,294 days unbeaten in 50-over cricket.
The secondary achievements, the ones sought by the achievement hunters, are what's still available for a side that has achieved everything.
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That it took as late as Sunday's success by three wickets over India for them to complete their first ODI chase over 300, taking back their record for the largest in the female 50-over format, is, frankly, a compliment to the pitchers that have worn canary yellow over five decades.
It is hard for their batsmen to hold a record if never given the chance.
Finally, the outcome of Australia conceding 330 was skipper Alyssa Healy receiving an opportunity to produce her newest gem.
Initially recognized as the 19-year-old niece of renowned former Aussie wicketkeeper Ian, she first played in 2010 after her nation didn't secure either of the 20 or 50-over World Cups from the prior year and has witnessed all through 15 championship-filled years since.
Success in the T20 World Cup arrived three months after her bow and seven international trophies have come from 10 tries across formats.
The tough gloveman was also there in Derby in 2017 when a semi-final defeat by India briefly halted the successful run.
That loss "drove us to reconsider our benchmarks," Healy commented earlier.
At the subsequent ODI World Cup in New Zealand, Healy hit 170 against England in the championship match and was named player of the tournament. She guaranteed her country would not fall short again.
If this latest epic knock exceeded that prior achievement remains open for discussion.
Some will argue the reasoning behind championship match pressure. Some might respond with the difficulty that comes when confronting a historic chase and a raucous India-supporting crowd of 20,000.
What's clear is this century was much more difficult to anticipate.
The New Zealand onslaught in 2022 occurred when she topped the run-scoring charts, but this knock was preceded by six games in India over the past few weeks in which she had failed to pass 30.
"If you've observed me in the nets, it's been a frustrating experience because I feel like my form was missing whatsoever," said Healy.
"But once you enter the playing area, your competitive nature take over and you just lock into the contest."
Healy's competitive nature has continuously been her great strength - and an irreplaceable characteristic in taking over from iconic ex-skipper Meg Lanning.
She was tormented by India's promising player Kranti Gaud in the previous month's ODI series, out to the emerging pace bowler in each encounter, but here that only provided Healy's spark.
A single was taken off Gaud's first delivery and from that point the batsman was on her way.
"The possibility to go out there and engage in competition with her and merely enjoy the moment in that regard, somewhat inspired me," said Healy.
She reached fifty in 35 deliveries - her quickest at the World Cup - and her hundred in 84 as she attacked short-pitched balls, striking 21 boundaries and three sixes.
By the time she was out the team required another 66 at one run per ball - a manageable total now demanding an easy conclusion.
"To chase 330 is uncharted waters so I am glad we have the confidence to do that now," stated Healy further.
"Ideally we won't need to do it another time but, if necessary, we know we can do it."
Those words will be the last Australia's opponents at this championship want to hear.
In recent days a sense they will triumph from any situation has grown stronger - this triumph coming after win against Pakistan by 107 run margin despite being 76-7 at one stage.
Subsequently Australia meet 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 in the semi-finals they exited the previous year's T20 World Cup in a shock defeat by South Africa - an encounter Healy missed because of torn tissue in her foot as she guided Australia for the first time at a significant event.
Such is her determination, she later said she wished she had played with the discomfort.
However although she afterwards confessed those physical issues have postponed thoughts of retirement, this World Cup is anticipated as her final tournament as skipper in one-day cricket and she is yet to win an international tournament as leader.
Triumph in India would bring her to the top of her last major obstacle.
