The Australian Team Breaks New Ground as Captain Alyssa Healy Has One Peak Left to Climb.

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

The top summits have long been mastered.

This is the team that has secured seven Cricket World Cups, plus another six T20 titles, and once went 1,294 days without defeat in 50-over cricket.

The remaining milestones, the ones sought by the peak baggers, are the only things left for a team 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 above 300, taking back their record for the highest in the women's 50-over format, is, honestly, a testament to the bowlers that have worn canary yellow over five decades.

It's challenging for their batsmen to maintain a record if never given the possibility.

In the end, the outcome of Australia allowing 330 runs was skipper Alyssa Healy being given a chance to create her latest masterpiece.

Initially recognized as the teenage relative of celebrated previous Aussie wicketkeeper Ian, she debuted in 2010 after Australia couldn't capture either of the T20 or ODI World Cups conducted earlier and has seen it all through 15 championship-filled years since.

A T20 World Cup win came three months after her first appearance and seven international trophies have come from 10 attempts across formats.

The determined wicketkeeper was present as well in Derby in 2017 when a semi-final defeat by India momentarily interrupted the successful run.

That loss "motivated us to reconsider our benchmarks," Healy commented earlier.

At the following one-day championship in New Zealand, Healy scored 170 against England in the final and was awarded tournament MVP. She ensured her country would not fall short again.

If this recent magnificent innings exceeded that prior achievement can be debated.

Some will argue the reasoning behind championship match pressure. Different voices suggest with the challenge that comes when pursuing an unprecedented total and a loud pro-India audience of 20,000.

What's definite is this hundred was much more difficult to see coming.

The Christchurch carnage in 2022 occurred when she led the batting statistics, but this performance came after six matches in India from the beginning of the previous month in which she had been unable to reach 30.

"If you've been watching me in practice sessions, it's been a disappointing period because it seemed I lacked timing at all," commented Healy.

"Yet the moment you step out on the field, your fighting spirit activate and you simply focus on the competition."

Healy's competitiveness has consistently been her key asset - and a priceless quality in taking over from famous previous leader Meg Lanning.

She was challenged by India's rising star Kranti Gaud in recent ODI series, dismissed by the 22-year-old seamer in every game, but this time it merely gave Healy's inspiration.

A single came off Gaud's first delivery and from there the batsman was underway.

"An opportunity to take the field and engage in competition with her and just have a bit of fun in that regard, sort of got me going," said Healy.

She achieved fifty in 35 balls - her swiftest at the global tournament - and her ton in 84 as she punished short deliveries, scoring 21 fours and three sixes.

By the time she was dismissed the team needed 66 additional runs at run per delivery - an unconquered height now needing a comfortable finish.

"To chase 330 is uncharted waters so I'm pleased we have the belief to achieve that now," added Healy.

"Hopefully we don't have to repeat it but, should it happen, we know we can succeed."

Those words will be the final thing rival teams at this championship should hear.

In recent days a feeling 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 stage.

Next Australia play Bangladesh before a meeting with longtime competitors England in Indore in a week and a half, by which point a semi-final berth may well be secure.

It was in the semi-finals they were eliminated from the prior year's T20 World Cup in an unexpected loss by South Africa - a match Healy couldn't play because of torn tissue in her foot as she captained her nation for the initial instance at a significant event.

So strong is her resolve, she afterwards commented she wished she had played with the discomfort.

But while she afterwards confessed those injuries have pushed back thoughts of retirement, this championship is expected to be her concluding event as leader in ODI cricket and she is still to achieve an international tournament as captain.

Victory in India would bring her to the top of her last major obstacle.