The Australian Team Sets a New Benchmark as Captain Alyssa Healy Has One Peak Left to Climb.

It's tough for Australia to achieve unprecedented feats.

The top summits have long been mastered.

This is the team that has secured seven Cricket World Cups, along with six more T20 titles, and previously enjoyed 1,294 days without defeat in 50-over cricket.

The alternative records, the ones sought by the record chasers, are what's still available for a side that has achieved everything.

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The fact it required until Sunday's victory by three wickets over India for them to complete their first ODI chase over 300, reclaiming their record for the largest in women's cricket's 50-over format, is, frankly, a compliment to the bowling attack that have represented Australia over the last half-century.

It's challenging for their batsmen to hold a record if never given the possibility.

Ultimately, the result of Australia conceding 330 was leader Alyssa Healy getting a platform to create her newest gem.

Originally famous as the teenage relative of famous ex Aussie wicketkeeper Ian, she made her debut in 2010 after her country couldn't capture either of the T20 or ODI World Cups held the previous year and has seen it all through 15 trophy-laden years since.

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

The determined wicketkeeper was in attendance in Derby in 2017 when a last-four loss by India briefly halted the winning streak.

That loss "pushed us to rethink our standards," Healy commented earlier.

At the next 50-over World Cup in New Zealand, Healy hit 170 against England in the final and was declared player of the series. She guaranteed her country would not fall short again.

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

Some will argue the argument supporting final game tension. Different voices suggest with the test that comes when facing a record target and a loud pro-India audience of 20,000.

What's clear is this century was far harder to predict.

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

"For those following me in the nets, it was a frustrating experience because it seemed I lacked timing at all," said Healy.

"However when you step out on the field, your fighting spirit activate and you simply focus on the contest."

Healy's competitiveness has consistently been her major advantage - and an irreplaceable characteristic in replacing famous previous leader Meg Lanning.

She was troubled by India's promising player Kranti Gaud in recent ODI series, dismissed by the emerging pace bowler in each encounter, but this time it merely gave Healy's spark.

A single came off the bowler's initial ball and after that Healy was on her way.

"A chance to go out there and lock in a contest with her and simply enjoy myself in that regard, sort of got me going," commented Healy.

She achieved fifty in 35 balls - her quickest at the World Cup - and her ton in 84 balls as she flogged anything short, scoring 21 fours and three sixes.

By the time she was out her side required another 66 at run per delivery - an achievable target now demanding an easy conclusion.

"Chasing 330 runs is uncharted waters so I'm pleased we have the confidence to accomplish that now," continued Healy.

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

That comment will be the last Australia's opponents at this championship should hear.

During the last week a belief they will win from any position has only strengthened - this triumph succeeding victory over Pakistan by 107-run victory despite being 76-7 at one stage.

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

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

So strong is her resolve, she afterwards commented she wanted to have participated despite the injury.

Yet even as she afterwards confessed those fitness problems have postponed plans to retire, this World Cup is expected to be her concluding event as leader in ODI cricket and she is yet to win a global event as skipper.

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