The Australian Team Breaks New Ground as Captain Alyssa Healy Faces One Final Mountain.
It's difficult for Australia to set fresh records.
The greatest achievements have been successfully scaled.
This is the team that has secured seven Cricket World Cups, in addition to six more T20 titles, and once went over three years without defeat in 50-over cricket.
The secondary achievements, those for the achievement hunters, are what's still available for a team that has accomplished all there is.
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That it took until Sunday's victory by three wickets over India for them to complete their first ODI chase above 300, reclaiming their record for the biggest in the women's 50-over format, is, honestly, a tribute to the bowlers that have worn canary yellow over the last half-century.
It is hard for their hitters to possess a record if never given the possibility.
Finally, the consequence of Australia conceding 330 was captain Alyssa Healy receiving a platform to produce her most recent brilliance.
Then best known as the teenage relative of famous ex Aussie wicketkeeper Ian, she debuted in 2010 after Australia didn't secure either of the 20 or 50-over World Cups conducted earlier and has witnessed all through 15 championship-filled years since.
Success in the T20 World Cup happened three months after her first appearance and seven world titles have followed from 10 tries across formats.
The determined wicketkeeper was in attendance in Derby in 2017 when a semi-final setback by India momentarily interrupted the winning streak.
That loss "pushed us to rethink our standards," Healy said this week.
At the next 50-over World Cup in New Zealand, Healy hit 170 against England in the championship match and was declared player of the series. She guaranteed her country would not fall short again.
Whether 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 difficulty that comes when confronting a historic chase and a raucous India-supporting crowd of 20,000.
What's clear is this century was far harder to anticipate.
The New Zealand onslaught in 2022 occurred when she was the highest scorer, but this performance came after six matches in India since the start of last month in which she had not exceeded 30 runs.
"If you've been watching me in practice sessions, it was a disappointing period because it seemed my form was missing at all," commented Healy.
"Yet the moment you take the field, your competitive nature take over and you just lock into the competition."
Healy's competitive nature has continuously been her key asset - and an irreplaceable characteristic in succeeding famous previous leader Meg Lanning.
She was tormented by India's rising star Kranti Gaud in last month's ODI series, dismissed by the emerging pace bowler in each encounter, but on this occasion it simply offered Healy's inspiration.
A single was taken off the bowler's initial ball and from that point the right-hander was in motion.
"An opportunity to go out there and face the challenge with her and merely enjoy the moment that way, sort of got me going," commented Healy.
She achieved fifty in 35 balls - her fastest at a World Cup - and her hundred in 84 deliveries while she attacked short-pitched balls, striking 21 boundaries and three sixes.
By the time she was out her side needed 66 more at one run per ball - a manageable total now needing a comfortable finish.
"Chasing 330 runs is uncharted waters so I am glad we have the confidence to accomplish that now," continued Healy.
"Ideally we won't need to repeat it but, if necessary, we believe we can do it."
Those words will be the final thing competing nations at this World Cup should hear.
During the last week a sense they will succeed regardless of circumstances has grown stronger - this success coming after success over Pakistan by 107 run margin despite struggling at 76-7 at one point.
Next Australia play Bangladesh before an encounter with traditional opponents England in Indore in 10 days, by which point a semi-final berth may likely be confirmed.
During that phase they exited the prior year's T20 World Cup in an unexpected loss by South Africa - a game Healy couldn't play because of ruptured tissue in her foot as she guided Australia for the initial instance at a major tournament.
So strong is her resolve, she subsequently stated she regretted not playing with the discomfort.
But while she afterwards confessed those physical issues have pushed back consideration of ending her career, this tournament is anticipated as her concluding event as leader in ODI cricket and she is yet to win a world championship as captain.
Success in India would take her to the summit of her ultimate challenge.