The Australian Team Breaks New Ground as Healy Confronts Her Ultimate Challenge.
It's tough for Australia to break new ground.
The greatest achievements have long been mastered.
This is the unit that has claimed seven Cricket World Cups, plus six more T20 titles, and earlier maintained over three years undefeated in 50-over cricket.
The secondary achievements, the ones sought by the achievement hunters, are all that remain for a team that has won it all.
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That it took up to Sunday's victory by three wickets over India for them to achieve their initial ODI chase over 300, regaining their record for the largest in the female 50-over format, is, honestly, a compliment to the pitchers that have sported the yellow jersey over the past 50 years.
It's difficult for their batters to possess a record if not provided the opportunity.
Ultimately, the consequence of Australia giving up 330 runs was skipper Alyssa Healy being given a platform to create her newest gem.
Then best known as the teenage relative of renowned former Aussie wicketkeeper Ian, she made her debut in 2010 after her nation failed to win either of the T20 or ODI World Cups held the previous year and has witnessed all through 15 successful years since.
A T20 championship victory arrived three months after her bow and seven international trophies have come from 10 efforts across formats.
The determined wicketkeeper was in attendance in Derby in 2017 when a semi-final defeat by India briefly halted the winning streak.
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 ensured her country would not fail again.
If this newest brilliant performance surpassed that earlier display can be debated.
Many contend the reasoning behind final game tension. Others can counter with the test that comes when facing a record target and a raucous India-supporting crowd of 20,000.
What's clear is this ton was much more difficult to anticipate.
The Christchurch carnage in 2022 occurred when she topped the run-scoring charts, but this performance was preceded by six games in India over the past few weeks in which she had failed to pass 30.
"If you've been watching me in practice sessions, it's been a disappointing period because it seemed I've had no rhythm at all," said Healy.
"But once you enter the playing area, your competitive instincts activate and you simply focus on the competition."
Healy's competitive nature has always been her key asset - and an irreplaceable characteristic in succeeding famous previous leader Meg Lanning.
She was troubled by India's emerging talent Kranti Gaud in the previous month's ODI series, fallen to the emerging pace bowler in every game, but here that only provided Healy's inspiration.
A single was taken off the opening delivery and from that point the right-hander was underway.
"An opportunity to play and face the challenge with her and merely enjoy the moment in that aspect, sort of got me going," said Healy.
She got to fifty in 35 pitches - her fastest at the World Cup - and her century in 84 as she flogged anything short, striking 21 boundaries and three maximums.
When she was out her side needed 66 additional runs at run per delivery - an achievable target now requiring a leisurely stroll.
"Pursuing 330 is uncharted waters so I'm pleased we have the assurance to accomplish that now," added Healy.
"Ideally we won't need to do it another time but, should it happen, we know we can achieve it."
That comment will be the last competing nations at this World Cup should hear.
In recent days a sense they will succeed regardless of circumstances has only strengthened - this success coming after win against Pakistan by 107-run victory despite struggling at 76-7 at a certain moment.
Next Australia play Bangladesh before an encounter with traditional opponents England in Indore in ten days, by which point a semi-final berth may well be secure.
During that phase they left the prior year's T20 World Cup in a surprising setback by South Africa - a game Healy missed because of torn tissue in her foot as she led her country for the inaugural occasion at an important competition.
So strong is her resolve, she subsequently stated she wished she had played with the discomfort.
But while she subsequently acknowledged those injuries have postponed thoughts of retirement, this championship is expected to be her last as captain in one-day cricket and she is hasn't yet secured an international tournament as skipper.
Victory in India would lead her to the peak of her final mountain.