Australia Breaks New Ground as Captain Alyssa Healy Has One Peak Left to Climb.
It's tough for the Australian squad to set fresh records.
The highest peaks have been successfully scaled.
We're talking about the unit that has secured seven Cricket World Cups, plus another six T20 titles, and earlier maintained 1,294 days unbeaten in 50-over cricket.
The secondary achievements, those for the peak baggers, are what's still available for a side that has accomplished all there is.
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The fact it required until Sunday's victory by three wickets over India for them to complete their first ODI chase over 300, taking back their record for the biggest in the female 50-over format, is, in truth, a tribute to the pitchers that have worn canary yellow over five decades.
It's challenging for their batsmen to possess a record if not provided the opportunity.
Finally, the outcome of Australia allowing 330 runs was leader Alyssa Healy getting a chance to deliver her newest gem.
Then best known as the teenage relative of celebrated previous Aussie wicketkeeper Ian, she first played in 2010 after her country didn't secure either of the T20 or ODI World Cups from the prior year and has seen it all through 15 successful years since.
Success in the T20 World Cup happened three months after her bow and seven global championships have come from 10 tries across formats.
The gritty keeper was in attendance in Derby in 2017 when a semi-final setback by India momentarily interrupted the successful run.
That loss "motivated us to reevaluate our levels," Healy stated recently.
At the subsequent ODI World Cup in New Zealand, Healy scored 170 against England in the title decider and was named player of the tournament. She made sure her country would not fail again.
If this latest epic knock topped that previous effort is debatable.
Certain people claim the case for championship match pressure. Different voices suggest with the test that comes when facing a record target and a loud pro-India audience of 20,000.
What is certain is this hundred was far harder to anticipate.
The Christchurch carnage in 2022 came as she topped the run-scoring charts, but this knock was preceded by six games in India since the start of last month in which she had been unable to reach 30.
"If you've been watching me in the nets, it has been a challenging time because it seemed I've had no rhythm whatsoever," said Healy.
"However when you step out on the field, your competitive instincts take over and you just lock into the contest."
Healy's fighting spirit has consistently been her great strength - and an invaluable trait in succeeding iconic ex-skipper Meg Lanning.
She was tormented by India's emerging talent Kranti Gaud in last month's ODI series, out to the emerging pace bowler in each encounter, but here that only provided Healy's inspiration.
One run resulted off Gaud's first delivery and after that the right-hander was in motion.
"An opportunity to go out there and face the challenge with her and just have a bit of fun in that aspect, kind of motivated me," stated Healy.
She got to fifty in 35 pitches - her swiftest at the global tournament - and her century in 84 as she punished short deliveries, hitting 21 fours and three sixes.
By the time she was out the team required another 66 at one run per ball - an achievable target now needing a comfortable finish.
"Pursuing 330 is unfamiliar ground so I'm happy we have the belief to achieve that now," added Healy.
"Hopefully we don't have to do it another time but, if necessary, we believe we can achieve it."
Those words will be the ultimate thing competing nations at this tournament need to hear.
In recent days a sense they will win from any position has only strengthened - this victory succeeding win against Pakistan by 107-run victory despite struggling at 76-7 at one point.
Following this Australia face Bangladesh before a match against longtime competitors England in Indore in ten days, by which point a semi-final place may well be secure.
During that phase they left the previous year's T20 World Cup in a shock defeat by South Africa - an encounter Healy couldn't play because of ruptured tissue in her foot as she guided Australia for the initial instance at a major tournament.
Such is her determination, she subsequently stated she wished she had played through the pain.
Yet even as she later admitted those physical issues have pushed back plans to retire, this championship is anticipated as her final tournament as skipper in one-day cricket and she is still to achieve a world championship as captain.
Triumph in India would lead her to the peak of her last major obstacle.