The Australian Team Establishes a Fresh Record as Captain Alyssa Healy Confronts Her Ultimate Challenge.

It's tough for the Australian squad to break new ground.

The highest peaks have been successfully scaled.

We're talking about the unit that has claimed seven Cricket World Cups, plus an additional six T20 titles, and earlier maintained nearly four years without defeat in 50-over cricket.

The remaining milestones, the ones sought by the achievement hunters, are what's still available for a squad that has won it all.

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That it took as late as Sunday's victory by three wickets over India for them to achieve their initial ODI chase over 300, taking back their record for the biggest in women's cricket's 50-over format, is, in truth, a tribute to the bowling attack that have worn canary yellow over the past 50 years.

It is hard for their hitters to hold a record if not provided the opportunity.

In the end, the outcome of Australia giving up 330 runs was skipper Alyssa Healy receiving a platform to create her latest masterpiece.

Then best known as the teenage relative of famous ex Aussie wicketkeeper Ian, she debuted in 2010 after Australia didn't secure either of the T20 or ODI World Cups conducted earlier and has seen it all through 15 trophy-laden years since.

A T20 World Cup win happened three months after her first appearance and seven global championships have come from 10 tries across formats.

The gritty keeper was present as well in Derby in 2017 when a semi-final defeat by India momentarily interrupted the run of success.

That loss "motivated us to reconsider our benchmarks," Healy said this week.

At the following one-day championship in New Zealand, Healy made 170 against England in the championship match and was named player of the tournament. She made sure her country would not fall short again.

The question of whether this recent magnificent innings topped that previous effort can be debated.

Some will argue the argument supporting championship match pressure. Others can counter with the difficulty that comes when confronting a historic chase and a loud pro-India audience of 20,000.

What's clear is this hundred was considerably tougher to see coming.

The Christchurch carnage in 2022 came as she topped the run-scoring charts, but this performance was preceded by six games in India since the start of last month in which she had failed to pass 30.

"If you've been watching me in practice sessions, it has been a frustrating experience because it appeared my form was missing completely," said Healy.

"However when you enter the playing area, your fighting spirit activate and you completely engage with the contest."

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

She was challenged by India's emerging talent Kranti Gaud in recent ODI series, out to the young fast bowler in all three matches, but here that only provided Healy's inspiration.

A single came off Gaud's first delivery and after that the batsman was on her way.

"A chance to go out there and engage in competition with her and merely enjoy the moment in that aspect, sort of got me going," commented Healy.

She achieved fifty in 35 deliveries - her swiftest at a World Cup - and her century in 84 as she punished short deliveries, hitting 21 fours and three sixes.

By the time she was removed her side needed 66 more at a run-a-ball - an achievable target now requiring a leisurely stroll.

"Chasing 330 runs is unfamiliar ground so I am glad we have the confidence to accomplish that now," added Healy.

"Hopefully we don't have to do it again but, if we do, we believe we can succeed."

Those words will be the last Australia's opponents at this World Cup want to hear.

During the last week a belief they will succeed regardless of circumstances has become more firm - this triumph succeeding win against Pakistan by 107-run victory despite being 76-7 at a certain moment.

Subsequently Australia meet Bangladesh before a meeting with old rivals England in Indore in ten days, by which point a semi-final place may probably be guaranteed.

During that phase they left last year's T20 World Cup in a surprising setback by South Africa - a match Healy was absent due to torn tissue in her foot as she led her country for the initial instance at a major tournament.

So strong is her resolve, she subsequently stated she regretted not playing through the pain.

However although she subsequently acknowledged those injuries have postponed plans to retire, this tournament is likely to be her final tournament as skipper in one-day cricket and she is still to achieve an international tournament as skipper.

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