The Australian Team Breaks New Ground as Healy Confronts Her Ultimate Challenge.
It's a challenge for Australia to break new ground.
The highest peaks have been successfully scaled.
This is the unit that has secured seven Cricket World Cups, plus another six T20 titles, and once went over three years without defeat in 50-over cricket.
The secondary achievements, the ones sought by the peak baggers, are the only things left for a side that has accomplished all there is.
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It needed as late as Sunday's victory by three wickets over India for them to achieve their initial ODI chase over 300, taking back their record for the largest in the women's 50-over format, is, honestly, a tribute to the pitchers that have represented Australia over the last half-century.
It's difficult for their hitters to hold a record if never given the opportunity.
In the end, the consequence of Australia giving up 330 runs was skipper Alyssa Healy getting a chance to create her newest gem.
Originally famous as the teenage relative of famous ex Aussie wicketkeeper Ian, she first played in 2010 after Australia failed to win either of the 20 or 50-over World Cups from the prior year and has experienced everything through 15 trophy-laden years since.
Success in the T20 World Cup arrived three months after her bow and seven world titles have resulted from 10 attempts across formats.
The determined wicketkeeper was present as well in Derby in 2017 when a semi-final setback by India briefly halted the winning streak.
That loss "pushed us to reevaluate our levels," Healy stated recently.
At the next 50-over World Cup in New Zealand, Healy scored 170 against England in the championship match and was awarded tournament MVP. She made sure her country would not come up short.
The question of whether this newest brilliant performance exceeded that prior achievement can be debated.
Some will argue the argument supporting final game tension. Different voices suggest with the challenge that comes when confronting a historic chase and an enthusiastic Indian fanbase of 20,000.
What is certain is this century was much more difficult to predict.
The New Zealand onslaught in 2022 came as she led the batting statistics, but this performance was preceded by six games in India since the start of last month in which she had failed to pass 30.
"If you've been watching me in training, it has been a challenging time because it seemed I've had no rhythm at all," said Healy.
"Yet the moment you step out on the field, your fighting spirit activate and you just lock into the contest."
Healy's fighting spirit has always been her key asset - and a priceless quality in succeeding iconic ex-skipper Meg Lanning.
She was challenged by India's rising star Kranti Gaud in recent ODI series, out to the emerging pace bowler in all three matches, but here that only provided Healy's inspiration.
A single came off the opening delivery and from that point the batsman was underway.
"An opportunity to play and lock in a contest with her and just have a bit of fun in that regard, somewhat inspired me," commented Healy.
She achieved fifty in 35 pitches - her quickest at the World Cup - and her century in 84 as she attacked short-pitched balls, hitting 21 fours and three big hits.
When she was removed the team needed 66 more at a run-a-ball - an achievable target now needing a comfortable finish.
"Pursuing 330 is uncharted waters so I'm happy we have the belief to achieve that now," continued Healy.
"Ideally we won't need to do it again but, if we do, we believe we can achieve it."
These statements will be the final thing Australia's opponents at this tournament need to hear.
During the last week a sense they will triumph from any situation has grown stronger - this victory following victory over Pakistan by 107 runs despite sitting at 76-7 at one stage.
Following this Australia face Bangladesh before a match against longtime competitors England in Indore in 10 days, by which point a last-four spot may likely be confirmed.
It was in the semi-finals they were eliminated from last year's T20 World Cup in a surprising setback by South Africa - a match Healy was absent due to ruptured tissue in her foot as she captained her nation for the initial instance at an important competition.
So great is her will, she afterwards commented she wished she had played despite the injury.
Yet even as she subsequently acknowledged those fitness problems have postponed plans to retire, this tournament is anticipated as her final tournament as skipper in one-day cricket and she is yet to win a global event as leader.
Triumph in India would take her to the summit of her final mountain.