The Australian Team Sets a New Benchmark as Captain Alyssa Healy Has One Peak Left to Climb.
It's tough for the Australian squad to break new ground.
The top summits have been successfully scaled.
This is the unit that has claimed seven Cricket World Cups, in addition to six more T20 titles, and once went nearly four years unbeaten in 50-over cricket.
The remaining milestones, the ones sought by the record chasers, are all that remain for a team that has won it all.
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That it took as late as Sunday's success by three wickets over India for them to accomplish their maiden ODI chase exceeding 300, taking back their record for the highest in the female 50-over format, is, frankly, a tribute to the bowlers that have represented Australia over the last half-century.
It is hard for their batsmen to hold a record if never given the opportunity.
Ultimately, the result of Australia conceding 330 was skipper Alyssa Healy receiving an opportunity to produce her most recent brilliance.
Originally famous as the teenage relative of famous ex Aussie wicketkeeper Ian, she made her debut in 2010 after Australia couldn't capture either of the 20 or 50-over World Cups conducted earlier and has seen it all through 15 championship-filled years since.
A T20 World Cup win happened three months after her bow and seven world titles have followed from 10 efforts across formats.
The tough gloveman was in attendance in Derby in 2017 when a semi-final defeat by India briefly halted the successful run.
That loss "motivated us to reconsider our benchmarks," Healy said this week.
At the subsequent ODI World Cup in New Zealand, Healy scored 170 against England in the championship match and was declared player of the series. She made sure her country would not come up short.
The question of whether this recent magnificent innings exceeded that prior achievement is debatable.
Many contend the case for the pressure of a final. Different voices suggest with the difficulty that comes when confronting a historic chase and a raucous India-supporting crowd of 20,000.
What is certain is this ton was much more difficult to predict.
The New Zealand onslaught in 2022 occurred when she was the highest scorer, but this knock came after six matches in India over the past few weeks in which she had been unable to reach 30.
"If you've observed me in practice sessions, it was a challenging time because it appeared my form was missing at all," said Healy.
"Yet the moment you take the field, your competitive instincts take over and you completely engage with the match."
Healy's competitiveness has consistently been her key asset - and a priceless quality in replacing famous previous leader Meg Lanning.
She was troubled by India's rising star Kranti Gaud in recent ODI series, fallen to the emerging pace bowler in every game, but this time it merely gave Healy's motivation.
A single was taken off the bowler's initial ball and from there the right-hander was underway.
"An opportunity to take the field and lock in a contest with her and merely enjoy the moment in that aspect, kind of motivated me," said Healy.
She got to fifty in 35 deliveries - her quickest at the global tournament - and her century in 84 as she flogged anything short, scoring 21 fours and three sixes.
When she was out Australia required another 66 at a run-a-ball - an unconquered height now demanding an easy conclusion.
"Pursuing 330 is uncharted waters so I'm happy 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 are confident we can do it."
Those words will be the final thing competing nations at this tournament need to hear.
In recent days a belief they will succeed regardless of circumstances has only strengthened - this triumph coming after victory over Pakistan by 107 run margin despite sitting at 76-7 at a certain moment.
Following this Australia face Bangladesh before a match against traditional opponents England in Indore in ten days, by which point a last-four spot may well be secure.
It was in the semi-finals they exited the prior year's T20 World Cup in a shock defeat by South Africa - an encounter Healy missed because of torn tissue in her foot as she led her country for the first time at a significant event.
So great is her will, she later said she regretted not playing with the discomfort.
Yet even as she afterwards confessed those physical issues have delayed thoughts of retirement, this World Cup is anticipated as her final tournament as skipper in 50-over cricket and she is still to achieve an international tournament as skipper.
Triumph in India would take her to the summit of her ultimate challenge.