The Australian Team 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 top summits have long been mastered.
We're talking about the unit that has won seven Cricket World Cups, along with six more T20 titles, and previously enjoyed over three years unbeaten in 50-over cricket.
The remaining milestones, targeted by the record chasers, are what's still available for a team that has accomplished all there is.
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That it took until Sunday's three-wicket win over India for them to complete their first ODI chase over 300, regaining their record for the highest in the women's 50-over format, is, in truth, a compliment to the bowling attack that have worn canary yellow over the last half-century.
It's challenging for their batters to hold a record if not afforded the opportunity.
Finally, the result of Australia giving up 330 runs was skipper Alyssa Healy being given an opportunity to create her most recent brilliance.
Originally famous as the 19-year-old niece of famous ex Aussie wicketkeeper Ian, she first played in 2010 after Australia didn't secure either of the T20 or ODI World Cups held the previous year and has experienced everything through 15 trophy-laden years since.
A T20 championship victory happened three months after her debut and seven international trophies have come from 10 efforts across formats.
The gritty keeper was also there in Derby in 2017 when a last-four loss by India temporarily stopped the winning streak.
That loss "drove us to rethink our standards," Healy stated recently.
At the subsequent ODI World Cup in New Zealand, Healy made 170 against England in the title decider and was named player of the tournament. She made sure her country would not come up short.
The question of whether this latest epic knock topped that previous effort can be debated.
Many contend the case for championship match pressure. Different voices suggest with the difficulty that comes when pursuing an unprecedented total and an enthusiastic Indian fanbase of 20,000.
What is certain is this hundred was much more difficult to predict.
The Christchurch carnage in 2022 happened while she led the batting statistics, but this knock followed six innings in India since the start of last month in which she had not exceeded 30 runs.
"If you've observed me in the nets, it was a challenging time because I feel like I've had no rhythm at all," stated Healy.
"But once you step out on the field, your competitive instincts take over and you simply focus on the match."
Healy's competitive nature has always been her key asset - and a priceless quality in taking over from famous previous leader Meg Lanning.
She was tormented by India's promising player Kranti Gaud in the previous month's ODI series, out to the young fast bowler in each encounter, but this time it merely gave Healy's motivation.
A single came off the opening delivery and from there the right-hander was underway.
"The possibility to go out there and face the challenge with her and just have a bit of fun that way, sort of got me going," stated Healy.
She reached fifty in 35 deliveries - her quickest at the global tournament - and her ton in 84 deliveries while she flogged anything short, striking 21 boundaries and three sixes.
Once she was dismissed the team required another 66 at a run-a-ball - a manageable total now needing a comfortable finish.
"To chase 330 is uncharted waters so I'm happy we have the assurance to achieve that now," added Healy.
"Preferably we shouldn't have to do it another time but, if necessary, we are confident we can achieve it."
Those words will be the final thing competing nations at this World Cup need to hear.
During the last week a belief they will triumph from any situation has become more firm - this triumph succeeding victory over Pakistan by 107 runs despite sitting at 76-7 at one point.
Following this Australia face Bangladesh before an encounter with old rivals England in Indore in a week and a half, by which point a semi-final place may well be secure.
It was at that stage they were eliminated from the previous year's T20 World Cup in a surprising setback by South Africa - a match Healy missed because of ruptured tissue in her foot as she captained her nation for the first time at an important competition.
Such is her determination, she later said she wanted to have participated despite the injury.
Yet even as she afterwards confessed those injuries have pushed back plans to retire, this tournament is expected to be her final tournament as skipper in one-day cricket and she is hasn't yet secured a world championship as skipper.
Success in India would bring her to the top of her final mountain.