The Australian Team Establishes a Fresh Record as Captain Alyssa Healy Faces One Final Mountain.

It's difficult for the Australian squad to achieve unprecedented feats.

The greatest achievements have already been conquered.

This is the team that has secured seven Cricket World Cups, in addition to an additional six T20 titles, and previously enjoyed nearly four years undefeated in 50-over cricket.

The secondary achievements, the ones sought by the record chasers, are the only things left for a squad 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 complete their first ODI chase above 300, taking back their record for the biggest in the women's 50-over format, is, in truth, a tribute to the bowling attack that have represented Australia over the last half-century.

It is hard for their batsmen to hold a record if not provided the opportunity.

In the end, the result of Australia allowing 330 runs was leader Alyssa Healy being given a chance to create her latest masterpiece.

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 T20 or ODI World Cups from the prior year and has witnessed all through 15 trophy-laden years since.

Success in the T20 World Cup arrived three months after her bow and seven global championships have come from 10 efforts across formats.

The gritty keeper was also there in Derby in 2017 when a semi-final defeat by India momentarily interrupted the winning streak.

That loss "drove us to rethink our standards," Healy said this week.

At the following one-day championship 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.

If this latest epic knock surpassed that earlier display can be debated.

Certain people claim the case for the pressure of a final. Different voices suggest with the challenge that comes when facing a record target and a loud pro-India audience of 20,000.

What is certain is this hundred was far harder to see coming.

The Christchurch destruction in 2022 came as she was the highest scorer, but this performance was preceded by six games in India since the start of last month in which she had been unable to reach 30.

"For those following me in training, it has been a frustrating experience because I feel like my form was missing completely," said Healy.

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

Healy's competitive nature has consistently been her great strength - and an irreplaceable characteristic in taking over from legendary former captain Meg Lanning.

She was challenged by India's rising star Kranti Gaud in recent ODI series, out to the emerging pace bowler in each encounter, but this time it merely gave Healy's inspiration.

One run resulted off Gaud's first delivery and after that Healy was in motion.

"An opportunity to take the field and engage in competition with her and simply enjoy myself in that aspect, kind of motivated me," commented Healy.

She got to fifty in 35 balls - her fastest at a World Cup - and her hundred in 84 deliveries while she punished short deliveries, hitting 21 fours and three big hits.

When she was dismissed her side required another 66 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 assurance to do that now," continued Healy.

"Hopefully we don't have to do it another time but, if we do, we know we can succeed."

These statements will be the final thing competing nations at this championship need to hear.

Over the past five days a sense they will triumph from any situation has only strengthened - this victory following victory over Pakistan by 107-run victory despite struggling at 76-7 at one stage.

Next Australia play Bangladesh before an encounter with old rivals England in Indore in 10 days, by which point a semi-final place may probably be guaranteed.

During that phase they were eliminated from the prior year's T20 World Cup in a shock defeat by South Africa - an encounter Healy was absent due to torn tissue in her foot as she captained her nation for the first time at a significant event.

Such is her determination, she afterwards commented she wanted to have participated with the discomfort.

Yet even as she later admitted those fitness problems have postponed consideration of ending her career, this championship is likely to be her final tournament as skipper in one-day cricket and she is still to achieve a world championship as skipper.

Success in India would bring her to the top of her last major obstacle.