Australia Sets a New Benchmark as Captain Alyssa Healy Has One Peak Left to Climb.

It's tough for Australia to break new ground.

The highest peaks 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 unbeaten in 50-over cricket.

The secondary achievements, targeted by the record chasers, are the only things left for a team that has accomplished all there is.

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It needed as late as Sunday's success by three wickets over India for them to achieve their initial ODI chase over 300, regaining their record for the largest in the women's 50-over format, is, honestly, a tribute to the pitchers that have worn canary yellow over the last half-century.

It's challenging for their batsmen to possess a record if never given the opportunity.

In the end, the outcome of Australia giving up 330 runs was skipper Alyssa Healy receiving an opportunity to deliver her most recent brilliance.

Initially recognized as the young family member of famous ex Aussie wicketkeeper Ian, she made her debut in 2010 after her nation couldn't capture either of the T20 or ODI World Cups from the prior year and has experienced everything through 15 championship-filled years since.

Success in the T20 World Cup happened three months after her debut and seven global championships have followed from 10 attempts across formats.

The determined wicketkeeper was in attendance in Derby in 2017 when a semi-final setback by India temporarily stopped the successful run.

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

At the following one-day championship in New Zealand, Healy made 170 against England in the championship match and was declared player of the series. She ensured her country would not come up short.

The question of whether this newest brilliant performance topped that previous effort is debatable.

Some will argue the reasoning behind championship match pressure. Some might respond with the test that comes when facing a record target and a loud pro-India audience of 20,000.

What's clear is this hundred was far harder to anticipate.

The New Zealand onslaught in 2022 came as she led the batting statistics, but this performance was preceded by six games in India since the start of last month in which she had not exceeded 30 runs.

"If you've been watching me in training, it was a disappointing period because it appeared I lacked timing at all," said Healy.

"However when you enter the playing area, your competitive instincts take over and you simply focus on the match."

Healy's competitive nature has always been her major advantage - and an irreplaceable characteristic in taking over from iconic ex-skipper Meg Lanning.

She was troubled by India's emerging talent Kranti Gaud in the previous month's ODI series, dismissed by the 22-year-old seamer in each encounter, but on this occasion it simply offered Healy's spark.

A single came off the opening delivery and from there the right-hander was in motion.

"An opportunity to go out there and engage in competition with her and simply enjoy myself in that regard, sort of got me going," stated Healy.

She achieved fifty in 35 deliveries - her swiftest at the World Cup - and her ton in 84 as she attacked short-pitched balls, scoring 21 fours and three big hits.

By the time she was removed Australia needed 66 additional runs at run per delivery - an unconquered height now requiring a leisurely stroll.

"To chase 330 is uncharted waters so I'm pleased we have the assurance to accomplish that now," added Healy.

"Ideally we won't need to do it another time but, should it happen, we believe we can achieve it."

That comment will be the final thing Australia's opponents at this tournament should hear.

Over the past five days a feeling they will succeed regardless of circumstances has grown stronger - this triumph succeeding success over Pakistan by 107-run victory despite being 76-7 at a certain moment.

Subsequently Australia meet Bangladesh before a match against old rivals England in Indore in 10 days, by which point a semi-final place may likely be confirmed.

During that phase they exited last year's T20 World Cup in a shock defeat by South Africa - an encounter Healy missed because of ruptured tissue in her foot as she captained her nation for the initial instance at a significant event.

So great is her will, she later said she wanted to have participated through the pain.

However although she afterwards confessed those injuries have delayed consideration of ending her career, this championship is anticipated as her last as captain in ODI cricket and she is yet to win an international tournament as skipper.

Success in India would bring her to the top of her last major obstacle.