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

It's a challenge for the Australian squad to achieve unprecedented feats.

The highest peaks have long been mastered.

This is the squad that has won seven Cricket World Cups, plus six more T20 titles, and previously enjoyed over three years without defeat in 50-over cricket.

The remaining milestones, those for the achievement hunters, are what's still available for a squad 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 accomplish their maiden ODI chase over 300, reclaiming their record for the biggest in the female 50-over format, is, in truth, a testament to the pitchers that have represented Australia over the last half-century.

It's difficult for their hitters to possess a record if not provided the chance.

Ultimately, the outcome of Australia conceding 330 was leader Alyssa Healy being given a platform to deliver her most recent brilliance.

Then best known as the 19-year-old niece of famous ex Aussie wicketkeeper Ian, she first played in 2010 after her nation didn't secure either of the T20 or ODI World Cups from the prior year and has experienced everything through 15 trophy-laden years since.

A T20 championship victory came three months after her bow and seven global championships have followed from 10 efforts across formats.

The determined wicketkeeper was also there in Derby in 2017 when a last-four loss by India briefly halted the successful run.

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

At the following one-day championship in New Zealand, Healy made 170 against England in the final and was declared player of the series. She guaranteed her country would not fail again.

The question of whether this newest brilliant performance exceeded that prior achievement can be debated.

Some will argue the reasoning behind the pressure of a final. Some might respond with the test that comes when pursuing an unprecedented total and a raucous India-supporting crowd of 20,000.

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

The New Zealand onslaught in 2022 happened while she topped the run-scoring charts, but this knock came after six matches in India since the start of last month in which she had failed to pass 30.

"If you've been watching me in training, it's been a disappointing period because it appeared I've had no rhythm at all," commented Healy.

"But once you step out on the field, your fighting spirit kick in and you just lock into the match."

Healy's fighting spirit has always been her key asset - and an invaluable trait in succeeding legendary former captain Meg Lanning.

She was challenged by India's rising star Kranti Gaud in last month's ODI series, dismissed by the 22-year-old seamer in all three matches, but here that only provided Healy's motivation.

One run resulted off Gaud's first delivery and from that point the batsman was on her way.

"A chance to take the field and lock in a contest with her and simply enjoy myself in that regard, sort of got me going," stated Healy.

She reached fifty in 35 pitches - her quickest at the World Cup - and her ton in 84 as she punished short deliveries, hitting 21 fours and three big hits.

By the time she was out the team needed 66 more at one run per ball - an achievable target now demanding an easy conclusion.

"Pursuing 330 is new territory so I'm happy we have the belief to do that now," added Healy.

"Hopefully we don't have to do it another time but, should it happen, we are confident we can achieve it."

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

Over the past five days a feeling they will win from any position has grown stronger - this victory coming after victory over Pakistan by 107 runs despite struggling at 76-7 at one stage.

Next Australia play Bangladesh before a match against longtime competitors England in Indore in 10 days, by which point a last-four spot may probably be guaranteed.

During that phase they exited last year's T20 World Cup in a shock defeat by South Africa - a game Healy couldn't play because of damaged tissue in her foot as she captained her nation for the inaugural occasion at an important competition.

Such is her determination, she afterwards commented she wanted to have participated with the discomfort.

Yet even as she later admitted those physical issues have delayed consideration of ending her career, this tournament is expected to be her concluding event as leader in ODI cricket and she is yet to win an international tournament as skipper.

Success in India would lead her to the peak of her ultimate challenge.