Australia Breaks New Ground as Captain Alyssa Healy Has One Peak Left to Climb.

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

The top summits have long been mastered.

This is the squad that has secured seven Cricket World Cups, plus six more T20 titles, and previously enjoyed 1,294 days unbeaten in 50-over cricket.

The remaining milestones, the ones sought by the peak baggers, are the only things left for a side that has won it all.

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The fact it required until Sunday's success by three wickets over India for them to complete their first ODI chase over 300, regaining their record for the largest in women's cricket's 50-over format, is, frankly, a compliment to the pitchers that have worn canary yellow over the last half-century.

It's challenging for their batters to maintain a record if not provided the opportunity.

Ultimately, the outcome of Australia allowing 330 runs was skipper Alyssa Healy receiving a chance to create her most recent brilliance.

Initially recognized as the young family member of famous ex Aussie wicketkeeper Ian, she first played in 2010 after Australia failed to win either of the T20 or ODI World Cups from the prior year and has seen it all through 15 trophy-laden years since.

A T20 championship victory arrived three months after her bow and seven international trophies have come from 10 tries across formats.

The gritty keeper was present as well in Derby in 2017 when a semi-final setback by India temporarily stopped the successful run.

That loss "drove us to reconsider our benchmarks," Healy stated recently.

At the following one-day championship in New Zealand, Healy hit 170 against England in the title decider and was named player of the tournament. She ensured her country would not come up short.

Whether this recent magnificent innings topped that previous effort can be debated.

Certain people claim the argument supporting championship match pressure. Different voices suggest with the challenge that comes when confronting a historic chase and a loud pro-India audience of 20,000.

What's definite is this hundred was much more difficult to see coming.

The Christchurch destruction in 2022 occurred when she topped the run-scoring charts, but this knock came after six matches in India since the start of last month in which she had been unable to reach 30.

"If you've been watching me in the nets, it has been a challenging time because I feel like my form was missing at all," stated Healy.

"But once you take the field, your fighting spirit kick in and you just lock into the contest."

Healy's competitiveness has continuously been her key asset - and an irreplaceable characteristic in replacing famous previous leader Meg Lanning.

She was tormented by India's promising player Kranti Gaud in recent ODI series, fallen to the 22-year-old seamer in each encounter, but here that only provided Healy's inspiration.

One run resulted off the opening delivery and after that the right-hander was underway.

"The possibility to play and lock in a contest with her and simply enjoy myself that way, somewhat inspired me," stated Healy.

She achieved fifty in 35 balls - her swiftest at the World Cup - and her ton in 84 deliveries while she attacked short-pitched balls, striking 21 boundaries and three maximums.

By the time she was out the team required another 66 at a run-a-ball - a manageable total now needing a comfortable finish.

"Pursuing 330 is unfamiliar ground so I am glad we have the confidence to achieve that now," continued Healy.

"Ideally we won't need to do it again but, if necessary, we believe we can do it."

That comment will be the last rival teams at this World Cup want to hear.

In recent days a feeling they will succeed regardless of circumstances has only strengthened - this success following victory over Pakistan by 107 runs despite struggling at 76-7 at a certain moment.

Following this Australia face Bangladesh before a match against longtime competitors England in Indore in ten days, by which point a last-four spot may likely be confirmed.

During that phase they exited last year's T20 World Cup in a surprising setback by South Africa - a game Healy couldn't play because of damaged tissue in her foot as she led her country for the first time at an important competition.

Such is her determination, she afterwards commented she wanted to have participated through the pain.

However although she later admitted those injuries have postponed thoughts of retirement, this tournament is expected to be her last as captain in one-day cricket and she is yet to win an international tournament as captain.

Victory in India would take her to the summit of her ultimate challenge.