Australia Sets a New Benchmark as Healy Faces One Final Mountain.
It's a challenge for Australia to break new ground.
The highest peaks have long been mastered.
We're talking about the unit 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 remaining milestones, those for the achievement hunters, are what's still available for a side that has won it all.
- Healy's Century Assists Australia to Historic Pursuit
- ICC Women's World Cup 2025 - Schedule, Outcomes & Details
- Tournament Standings, Leading Batsmen & Wicket-Takers
It needed as late as Sunday's victory by three wickets over India for them to complete their first ODI chase exceeding 300, regaining their record for the largest in the female 50-over format, is, honestly, a testament to the bowling attack that have worn canary yellow over the past 50 years.
It's difficult for their batsmen to maintain a record if not afforded the chance.
Ultimately, the result of Australia conceding 330 was captain Alyssa Healy being given a platform to produce her latest masterpiece.
Then best known as the teenage relative of renowned former Aussie wicketkeeper Ian, she made her debut in 2010 after Australia couldn't capture either of the T20 or ODI World Cups from the prior year and has witnessed all through 15 successful years since.
A T20 championship victory arrived three months after her debut and seven world titles have followed from 10 efforts across formats.
The determined wicketkeeper was in attendance in Derby in 2017 when a semi-final setback by India momentarily interrupted the successful run.
That loss "pushed us to rethink our standards," Healy commented earlier.
At the following one-day championship in New Zealand, Healy made 170 against England in the title decider and was declared player of the series. She guaranteed her country would not come up short.
If this latest epic knock topped that previous effort is debatable.
Certain people claim the reasoning behind final game tension. Some might respond with the test that comes when pursuing an unprecedented total and an enthusiastic Indian fanbase of 20,000.
What is certain is this hundred was far harder to anticipate.
The Christchurch carnage in 2022 happened while she topped the run-scoring charts, but this knock 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 frustrating experience because it appeared I lacked timing completely," stated Healy.
"Yet the moment you step out on the field, your competitive nature activate and you completely engage with the match."
Healy's competitive nature has continuously been her great strength - 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, fallen to the emerging pace bowler in every game, but here that only provided Healy's inspiration.
A single came off the opening delivery and from there the right-hander was underway.
"A chance to play and engage in competition with her and simply enjoy myself that way, sort of got me going," commented Healy.
She reached fifty in 35 deliveries - her fastest at the World Cup - and her ton in 84 deliveries while she flogged anything short, scoring 21 fours and three big hits.
By the time she was dismissed Australia required another 66 at run per delivery - a manageable total now demanding an easy conclusion.
"To chase 330 is unfamiliar ground so I'm pleased we have the confidence to achieve that now," continued Healy.
"Hopefully we don't have to do it again but, if necessary, we are confident we can do it."
Those words will be the ultimate thing competing nations at this World Cup need to hear.
During the last week a belief they will triumph from any situation has only strengthened - this success coming after victory over Pakistan by 107-run victory despite struggling at 76-7 at one point.
Following this Australia face Bangladesh before a meeting with longtime competitors England in Indore in a week and a half, by which point a last-four spot may well be secure.
It was at that stage they exited the prior year's T20 World Cup in a surprising setback by South Africa - an encounter Healy missed because of torn tissue in her foot as she captained her nation for the first time at an important competition.
So strong is her resolve, she afterwards commented she wished she had played with the discomfort.
But while she later admitted those physical issues have postponed plans to retire, this World Cup is expected to be her final tournament as skipper in ODI cricket and she is yet to win a global event as leader.
Success in India would lead her to the peak of her final mountain.