Australia Sets a New Benchmark as Captain Alyssa Healy Faces One Final Mountain.

Media Caption: Healy Guides Historic Pursuit as Australia Beat India

It's a challenge for the Australian squad to break new ground.

The top summits have already been conquered.

This is the team that has claimed seven Cricket World Cups, plus six more T20 titles, and once went nearly four years unbeaten in 50-over cricket.

The alternative records, the ones sought by the peak baggers, are what's still available for a squad that has won it all.

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That it took up to Sunday's three-wicket win over India for them to complete their first ODI chase exceeding 300, regaining their record for the largest in the women's 50-over format, is, honestly, a compliment to the pitchers that have sported the yellow jersey over the past 50 years.

It is hard for their batsmen to maintain a record if not provided the possibility.

In the end, the consequence of Australia allowing 330 runs was skipper Alyssa Healy being given a chance to deliver her most recent brilliance.

Originally famous as the teenage relative of famous ex 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 seen it all through 15 trophy-laden years since.

A T20 championship victory happened three months after her debut and seven world titles have resulted from 10 efforts across formats.

The gritty keeper was in attendance in Derby in 2017 when a last-four loss by India momentarily interrupted the run of success.

That loss "drove us to reconsider our benchmarks," Healy stated recently.

At the subsequent ODI World Cup in New Zealand, Healy hit 170 against England in the final and was declared player of the series. She guaranteed her country would not fall short again.

If this newest brilliant performance topped that previous effort can be debated.

Certain people claim the reasoning behind final game tension. Others can counter with the test that comes when pursuing an unprecedented total and a raucous India-supporting crowd of 20,000.

What's definite is this hundred was considerably tougher to predict.

The Christchurch carnage in 2022 happened while she topped the run-scoring charts, but this knock was preceded by six games in India over the past few weeks in which she had failed to pass 30.

"If you've been watching me in practice sessions, it was a frustrating experience because I feel like my form was missing completely," stated Healy.

"However when you step out on the field, your competitive nature take over and you just lock into the match."

Video Description: 'Fantastic' Healy Makes 142 to Aid Australia Complete Record Run Chase

Healy's competitiveness has consistently been her great strength - and an invaluable trait in replacing legendary former captain Meg Lanning.

She was tormented by India's emerging talent Kranti Gaud in last month's ODI series, out to the young fast bowler in every game, but this time it merely gave Healy's inspiration.

A single was taken off Gaud's first delivery and from that point the right-hander was on her way.

"An opportunity to take the field and face the challenge with her and just have a bit of fun in that aspect, kind of motivated me," stated Healy.

She achieved fifty in 35 pitches - her swiftest at a World Cup - and her ton in 84 balls as she attacked short-pitched balls, striking 21 boundaries and three big hits.

When she was dismissed Australia needed 66 more at one run per ball - a manageable total now needing a comfortable finish.

"Pursuing 330 is unfamiliar ground so I'm happy we have the assurance to accomplish that now," stated Healy further.

"Hopefully we don't have to do it again but, if necessary, we are confident we can do it."

These statements will be the last rival teams at this tournament want to hear.

During the last week a sense they will succeed regardless of circumstances has grown stronger - this victory succeeding success over Pakistan by 107-run victory despite struggling at 76-7 at one stage.

Next Australia play Bangladesh before a match against traditional opponents England in Indore in 10 days, by which point a semi-final place may well be secure.

During that phase they were eliminated from last year's T20 World Cup in a shock defeat by South Africa - an encounter Healy missed because of damaged tissue in her foot as she led her country for the initial instance at a significant event.

So great is her will, she subsequently stated she wanted to have participated through the pain.

But while she subsequently acknowledged those fitness problems have delayed consideration of ending her career, this World Cup is expected to be her concluding event as leader in 50-over cricket and she is yet to win a world championship as leader.

Victory in India would take her to the summit of her ultimate challenge.

Alexa Smith
Alexa Smith

Elara Vance is a digital culture analyst and tech writer with a background in media studies, focusing on emerging technologies and their societal impacts.