Australia Breaks New Ground as Captain Alyssa Healy Confronts Her Ultimate Challenge.
It's tough for Australia to achieve unprecedented feats.
The highest peaks have long been mastered.
This is the unit that has won seven Cricket World Cups, along with an additional six T20 titles, and earlier maintained 1,294 days without defeat in 50-over cricket.
The secondary achievements, targeted by the achievement hunters, are what's still available for a side that has won it all.
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That it took up to Sunday's victory by three wickets over India for them to complete their first ODI chase above 300, regaining their record for the highest in the women's 50-over format, is, frankly, a tribute to the bowlers that have worn canary yellow over the last half-century.
It's difficult for their batsmen to maintain a record if not provided the opportunity.
Ultimately, the outcome of Australia allowing 330 runs was leader Alyssa Healy getting a chance to deliver her latest masterpiece.
Then best known as the teenage relative of renowned former Aussie wicketkeeper Ian, she debuted in 2010 after her country couldn't capture either of the 20 or 50-over World Cups held the previous year and has witnessed all through 15 successful years since.
A T20 championship victory arrived three months after her first appearance and seven world titles have come from 10 tries across formats.
The gritty keeper was also there in Derby in 2017 when a semi-final setback by India momentarily interrupted the winning streak.
That loss "pushed us to reconsider our benchmarks," Healy stated recently.
At the next 50-over World Cup in New Zealand, Healy hit 170 against England in the final and was awarded tournament MVP. She ensured her country would not fail again.
If this latest epic knock exceeded that prior achievement is debatable.
Certain people claim the case for the pressure of a final. Others can counter with the difficulty that comes when facing a record target and a loud pro-India audience of 20,000.
What's definite is this century was far harder to predict.
The Christchurch destruction in 2022 came as she topped the run-scoring charts, but this knock was preceded by six games in India from the beginning of the previous month in which she had failed to pass 30.
"If you've observed me in practice sessions, it was a frustrating experience because I feel like I've had no rhythm completely," said Healy.
"But once you step out on the field, your competitive nature activate and you just lock into the match."
Healy's competitiveness has always been her great strength - and a priceless quality in taking over from iconic ex-skipper Meg Lanning.
She was troubled by India's emerging talent Kranti Gaud in last month's ODI series, dismissed by the 22-year-old seamer in each encounter, but this time it merely gave Healy's motivation.
A single came off the bowler's initial ball and from there the batsman was on her way.
"The possibility to take the field and engage in competition with her and merely enjoy the moment in that aspect, sort of got me going," commented Healy.
She got to fifty in 35 pitches - her fastest at the global tournament - and her ton in 84 deliveries while she punished short deliveries, scoring 21 fours and three big hits.
When she was removed the team needed 66 additional runs at run per delivery - an achievable target now demanding an easy conclusion.
"Chasing 330 runs is uncharted waters so I am glad we have the assurance to accomplish that now," continued Healy.
"Preferably we shouldn't have to do it again but, if necessary, we know we can do it."
These statements will be the last rival teams at this World Cup need to hear.
During the last week a sense they will win from any position has only strengthened - this triumph coming after victory over Pakistan by 107 runs despite sitting at 76-7 at one point.
Following this Australia face Bangladesh before an encounter with old rivals England in Indore in a week and a half, by which point a semi-final berth may well be secure.
It was at that stage they left the prior year's T20 World Cup in an unexpected loss by South Africa - a match Healy missed because of damaged tissue in her foot as she guided Australia for the initial instance at a significant event.
Such is her determination, she subsequently stated she wanted to have participated through the pain.
However although she afterwards confessed those fitness problems have delayed thoughts of retirement, this tournament is likely to be her final tournament as skipper in ODI cricket and she is yet to win an international tournament as skipper.
Success in India would take her to the summit of her last major obstacle.