The Australian Team Breaks New Ground as Captain Alyssa Healy Confronts Her Ultimate Challenge.

It's a challenge for Australia to set fresh records.

The highest peaks have been successfully scaled.

We're talking about the squad that has secured seven Cricket World Cups, along with another six T20 titles, and once went nearly four years undefeated in 50-over cricket.

The secondary achievements, targeted by the achievement hunters, are the only things left for a team that has won it all.

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The fact it required as late as Sunday's victory by three wickets over India for them to achieve their initial ODI chase exceeding 300, regaining their record for the biggest in the female 50-over format, is, frankly, a testament to the bowlers that have sported the yellow jersey over the past 50 years.

It's difficult for their batters to hold a record if never given the possibility.

In the end, the consequence of Australia giving up 330 runs was leader Alyssa Healy getting a chance to create her most recent brilliance.

Originally famous as the young family member of celebrated previous Aussie wicketkeeper Ian, she made her debut in 2010 after her country couldn't capture either of the 20 or 50-over World Cups from the prior year and has witnessed all through 15 trophy-laden years since.

Success in the T20 World Cup came three months after her bow and seven international trophies have followed from 10 attempts across formats.

The determined wicketkeeper was also there in Derby in 2017 when a semi-final setback by India momentarily interrupted the run of success.

That loss "motivated us to rethink our standards," Healy stated recently.

At the following one-day championship in New Zealand, Healy hit 170 against England in the final 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.

Some will argue the case for final game tension. Different voices suggest with the challenge that comes when facing a record target and an enthusiastic Indian fanbase of 20,000.

What's clear is this ton was much more difficult to anticipate.

The New Zealand onslaught in 2022 happened while she was the highest scorer, but this knock followed six innings in India over the past few weeks in which she had not exceeded 30 runs.

"For those following me in training, it has been a disappointing period because it appeared I lacked timing at all," said Healy.

"Yet the moment you enter the playing area, your competitive nature kick in and you simply focus on the competition."

Healy's competitive nature has consistently been her major advantage - and an irreplaceable characteristic in taking over from famous previous leader Meg Lanning.

She was troubled by India's promising player Kranti Gaud in recent ODI series, fallen to the young fast bowler in each encounter, but here that only provided Healy's motivation.

A single came off the opening delivery and after that Healy was underway.

"A chance to take the field and engage in competition with her and just have a bit of fun in that aspect, somewhat inspired me," said Healy.

She got to fifty in 35 balls - her swiftest at the global tournament - and her ton in 84 deliveries while she flogged anything short, striking 21 boundaries and three sixes.

Once she was out Australia needed 66 additional runs at one run per ball - a manageable total now requiring a leisurely stroll.

"To chase 330 is unfamiliar ground so I'm happy we have the confidence to accomplish that now," stated Healy further.

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

These statements will be the last competing nations at this World Cup want to hear.

In recent days a belief they will triumph from any situation has grown stronger - this triumph following success over Pakistan by 107 runs despite being 76-7 at one point.

Subsequently Australia meet Bangladesh before a match against longtime competitors England in Indore in ten days, by which point a semi-final place may well be secure.

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

So strong is her resolve, she later said she wished she had played with the discomfort.

However although she later admitted those injuries have delayed consideration of ending her career, this championship is expected to be her concluding event as leader in one-day cricket and she is yet to win a global event as captain.

Success in India would lead her to the peak of her final mountain.