Australia Sets a New Benchmark as Captain Alyssa Healy Confronts Her Ultimate Challenge.

It's difficult for the Australian squad to set fresh records.

The highest peaks have already been conquered.

We're talking about the team that has won seven Cricket World Cups, in addition to six more T20 titles, and earlier maintained over three years without defeat in 50-over cricket.

The alternative records, those for the achievement hunters, are the only things left for a team that has accomplished all there is.

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The fact it required up to Sunday's victory by three wickets over India for them to achieve their initial ODI chase exceeding 300, taking back their record for the largest in the women's 50-over format, is, honestly, a compliment to the bowlers that have represented Australia over five decades.

It's difficult for their hitters to possess a record if never given the possibility.

Finally, the result of Australia conceding 330 was skipper Alyssa Healy getting a platform to produce her most recent brilliance.

Initially recognized as the young family member of renowned former Aussie wicketkeeper Ian, she first played in 2010 after her nation didn't secure either of the T20 or ODI World Cups conducted earlier and has seen it all through 15 championship-filled years since.

Success in the T20 World Cup happened three months after her debut and seven global championships have resulted from 10 efforts across formats.

The gritty keeper was in attendance in Derby in 2017 when a last-four loss by India temporarily stopped the successful run.

That loss "drove us to reevaluate our levels," Healy commented earlier.

At the subsequent ODI World Cup in New Zealand, Healy scored 170 against England in the final and was declared player of the series. She made sure her country would not come up short.

Whether this recent magnificent innings topped that previous effort can be debated.

Certain people claim the case for final game tension. Some might respond with the test that comes when confronting a historic chase and an enthusiastic Indian fanbase of 20,000.

What's definite is this hundred was considerably tougher to anticipate.

The New Zealand onslaught in 2022 happened while she topped the run-scoring charts, but this knock came after six matches in India over the past few weeks in which she had failed to pass 30.

"For those following me in training, it has been a disappointing period because it seemed my form was missing at all," stated Healy.

"But once you take the field, your competitive nature take over and you simply focus on the competition."

Healy's fighting spirit has consistently been her major advantage - and a priceless quality in replacing famous previous leader Meg Lanning.

She was troubled by India's emerging talent Kranti Gaud in recent ODI series, dismissed by the young fast bowler in each encounter, but here that only provided Healy's spark.

A single was taken off the opening delivery and after that the batsman was in motion.

"An opportunity to go out there and engage in competition with her and simply enjoy myself in that regard, somewhat inspired me," commented Healy.

She achieved fifty in 35 pitches - her quickest at a World Cup - and her century in 84 balls as she punished short deliveries, hitting 21 fours and three sixes.

When she was out Australia needed 66 additional runs at a run-a-ball - an unconquered height now needing a comfortable finish.

"Pursuing 330 is uncharted waters so I'm pleased we have the belief to do that now," stated Healy further.

"Hopefully we don't have to do it another time but, should it happen, we are confident we can achieve it."

Those words will be the ultimate thing Australia's opponents at this tournament should hear.

During the last week a feeling they will triumph from any situation has become more firm - this success following success over Pakistan by 107-run victory despite sitting at 76-7 at one point.

Subsequently Australia meet Bangladesh before an encounter with traditional opponents England in Indore in ten days, by which point a last-four spot may well be secure.

It was in the semi-finals they exited last year's T20 World Cup in a surprising setback by South Africa - a game Healy couldn't play because of torn tissue in her foot as she led her country for the first time at an important competition.

So strong is her resolve, she afterwards commented she wished she had played despite the injury.

But while she afterwards confessed those injuries have postponed thoughts of retirement, this World Cup is anticipated as her final tournament as skipper in ODI cricket and she is hasn't yet secured a world championship as leader.

Success in India would take her to the summit of her final mountain.