Australia Breaks New Ground as Captain Alyssa Healy Confronts Her Ultimate Challenge.
It's difficult for the Australian squad to break new ground.
The highest peaks have already been conquered.
We're talking about the team that has secured seven Cricket World Cups, plus another six T20 titles, and once went 1,294 days without defeat in 50-over cricket.
The remaining milestones, those for the achievement hunters, are the only things left for a team that has achieved everything.
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That it took up to Sunday's three-wicket win over India for them to achieve their initial ODI chase above 300, reclaiming their record for the largest in the women's 50-over format, is, in truth, a tribute to the pitchers that have sported the yellow jersey over five decades.
It's challenging for their hitters to hold a record if never given the chance.
Finally, the consequence of Australia conceding 330 was leader Alyssa Healy being given a chance to deliver her most recent brilliance.
Then best known as the 19-year-old niece of celebrated previous 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 successful years since.
Success in the T20 World Cup happened three months after her debut and seven global championships have resulted from 10 tries across formats.
The determined wicketkeeper was also there in Derby in 2017 when a semi-final defeat by India momentarily interrupted the run of success.
That loss "drove us to reconsider our benchmarks," Healy said this week.
At the subsequent ODI World Cup in New Zealand, Healy hit 170 against England in the final and was declared player of the series. She ensured her country would not come up short.
Whether this recent magnificent innings surpassed that earlier display is debatable.
Certain people claim the argument supporting final game tension. Different voices suggest with the difficulty that comes when confronting a historic chase and a raucous India-supporting crowd of 20,000.
What's definite is this century was much more difficult to see coming.
The New Zealand onslaught in 2022 came as she was the highest scorer, but this knock followed six innings in India from the beginning of the previous month in which she had been unable to reach 30.
"For those following me in the nets, it's been a challenging time because it appeared I've had no rhythm whatsoever," said Healy.
"Yet the moment you step out on the field, your competitive instincts kick in and you just lock into the match."
Healy's competitiveness has consistently been her great strength - and an irreplaceable characteristic in replacing iconic ex-skipper Meg Lanning.
She was tormented by India's promising player Kranti Gaud in the previous month's ODI series, fallen to the emerging pace bowler in every game, but on this occasion it simply offered Healy's spark.
A single came off Gaud's first delivery and after that the batsman was in motion.
"A chance to take the field and lock in a contest with her and merely enjoy the moment that way, somewhat inspired me," commented Healy.
She achieved fifty in 35 balls - her swiftest at the global tournament - and her century in 84 deliveries while she attacked short-pitched balls, scoring 21 fours and three big hits.
Once she was out Australia needed 66 additional runs at run per delivery - a manageable total now requiring a leisurely stroll.
"Chasing 330 runs is unfamiliar ground so I am glad we have the assurance to achieve that now," continued Healy.
"Ideally we won't need to do it again but, should it happen, we believe we can achieve it."
That comment will be the final thing rival teams at this championship should hear.
Over the past five days a feeling they will triumph from any situation has grown stronger - this success following win against Pakistan by 107 runs despite sitting at 76-7 at one point.
Next Australia play Bangladesh before a meeting with traditional opponents England in Indore in ten days, by which point a last-four spot may well be secure.
It was at that stage they left the prior year's T20 World Cup in a shock defeat by South Africa - a game Healy missed because of torn tissue in her foot as she captained her nation for the inaugural occasion at a major tournament.
So great is her will, she later said she regretted not playing with the discomfort.
But while she afterwards confessed those physical issues have pushed back thoughts of retirement, this tournament is expected to be her concluding event as leader in one-day cricket and she is hasn't yet secured a global event as skipper.
Triumph in India would take her to the summit of her ultimate challenge.