Australia Sets a New Benchmark as Captain Alyssa Healy Has One Peak Left to Climb.
It's a challenge for Australia to break new ground.
The top summits have been successfully scaled.
We're talking about the squad that has won seven Cricket World Cups, along with another six T20 titles, and earlier maintained 1,294 days undefeated in 50-over cricket.
The alternative records, those for the record chasers, are what's still available for a team that has achieved everything.
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That it took until Sunday's three-wicket win over India for them to accomplish their maiden ODI chase over 300, taking back their record for the highest in the female 50-over format, is, frankly, a compliment to the bowlers that have sported the yellow jersey over five decades.
It is hard for their batsmen to hold a record if never given the opportunity.
Ultimately, the result of Australia giving up 330 runs was leader Alyssa Healy getting a chance to create her latest masterpiece.
Then best known 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 conducted earlier and has witnessed all through 15 championship-filled years since.
A T20 World Cup win arrived three months after her debut and seven international trophies have come from 10 attempts across formats.
The tough gloveman was in attendance in Derby in 2017 when a semi-final setback by India momentarily interrupted the winning streak.
That loss "drove us to reconsider our benchmarks," Healy stated recently.
At the next 50-over World Cup in New Zealand, Healy hit 170 against England in the championship match and was named player of the tournament. She guaranteed her country would not fail again.
Whether this newest brilliant performance exceeded that prior achievement is debatable.
Some will argue the reasoning behind the pressure of a final. Some might respond with the difficulty that comes when confronting a historic chase and an enthusiastic Indian fanbase of 20,000.
What's clear is this hundred was far harder to predict.
The New Zealand onslaught in 2022 happened while she topped the run-scoring charts, but this knock was preceded by six games in India since the start of last month in which she had been unable to reach 30.
"If you've observed me in the nets, it has been a challenging time because it appeared I've had no rhythm completely," said Healy.
"But once you take the field, your competitive nature kick in and you simply focus on the match."
Healy's competitiveness has continuously been her key asset - and an invaluable trait in succeeding iconic ex-skipper Meg Lanning.
She was tormented by India's emerging talent Kranti Gaud in the previous month's ODI series, dismissed by the 22-year-old seamer in every game, but this time it merely gave Healy's motivation.
One run resulted off Gaud's first delivery and from that point the batsman was on her way.
"An opportunity to play and lock in a contest with her and merely enjoy the moment that way, kind of motivated me," commented Healy.
She reached fifty in 35 balls - her swiftest at a World Cup - and her century in 84 deliveries while she flogged anything short, hitting 21 fours and three sixes.
When she was removed her side needed 66 additional runs at a run-a-ball - an unconquered height now needing a comfortable finish.
"Chasing 330 runs is new territory so I'm pleased we have the assurance to do that now," continued Healy.
"Ideally we won't need to repeat it but, if we do, we know we can achieve it."
Those words will be the ultimate thing competing nations at this World Cup should hear.
Over the past five days a feeling they will succeed regardless of circumstances has only strengthened - this triumph succeeding victory over Pakistan by 107 runs despite sitting at 76-7 at a certain moment.
Next Australia play Bangladesh before a match against longtime competitors England in Indore in 10 days, by which point a last-four spot may well be secure.
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 guided Australia for the initial instance at a major tournament.
So great is her will, she afterwards commented she regretted not playing with the discomfort.
But while she later admitted those physical issues have postponed plans to retire, this tournament is anticipated as her concluding event as leader in 50-over cricket and she is hasn't yet secured a world championship as leader.
Victory in India would lead her to the peak of her final mountain.