🔗 Share this article

It's a challenge for Australia to break new ground.

The top summits have been successfully scaled.

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

The secondary achievements, the ones sought by the peak baggers, are the only things left for a squad that has accomplished all there is.

• Healy's Ton Helps Australia to Record Chase
• Women's Cricket World Cup 2025 - Fixtures, Results & Scorecards
• Tournament Standings, Leading Batsmen & Leading Bowlers

The fact it required up to Sunday's success by three wickets over India for them to achieve their initial ODI chase exceeding 300, reclaiming their record for the biggest in women's cricket's 50-over format, is, in truth, a testament to the bowlers that have sported the yellow jersey over the past 50 years.

It is hard for their batsmen to hold a record if not afforded the chance.

Ultimately, the outcome of Australia conceding 330 was skipper Alyssa Healy getting a chance to create her latest masterpiece.

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

Success in the T20 World Cup happened three months after her debut and seven global championships have resulted from 10 attempts across formats.

The gritty keeper was also there in Derby in 2017 when a semi-final defeat by India briefly halted the run of success.

That loss "motivated us to reevaluate our levels," Healy stated recently.

At the next 50-over World Cup in New Zealand, Healy made 170 against England in the championship match and was awarded tournament MVP. She made sure her country would not fail again.

The question of whether this recent magnificent innings topped that previous effort remains open for discussion.

Some will argue the case for championship match pressure. Others can counter with the test that comes when confronting a historic chase and a raucous India-supporting crowd of 20,000.

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

The Christchurch carnage in 2022 happened while she topped the run-scoring charts, but this performance was preceded by six games in India over the past few weeks in which she had not exceeded 30 runs.

"For those following me in the nets, it has been a frustrating experience because it seemed I've had no rhythm at all," commented Healy.

"But once you take the field, your competitive nature activate and you completely engage with the match."

Healy's fighting spirit has always been her great strength - and an invaluable trait in taking over from legendary former captain Meg Lanning.

She was tormented by India's promising player Kranti Gaud in last month's ODI series, fallen to the young fast bowler in all three matches, but this time it merely gave Healy's motivation.

A single came off the opening delivery and from that point Healy was on her way.

"The possibility to take the field and face the challenge with her and merely enjoy the moment that way, somewhat inspired me," stated Healy.

She got to fifty in 35 balls - her fastest at the global tournament - and her century in 84 as she punished short deliveries, striking 21 boundaries and three sixes.

By the time she was dismissed her side needed 66 more at run per delivery - a manageable total now needing a comfortable finish.

"To chase 330 is uncharted waters so I'm happy we have the confidence to accomplish that now," added Healy.

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

These statements will be the ultimate thing competing nations at this World Cup need to hear.

During the last week a feeling they will triumph from any situation has only strengthened - this triumph following victory over Pakistan by 107-run victory despite being 76-7 at one stage.

Subsequently Australia meet Bangladesh before a match against old rivals England in Indore in a week and a half, by which point a semi-final berth may well be secure.

During that phase they exited the previous 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 first time at a significant event.

So strong is her resolve, she subsequently stated she wanted to have participated through the pain.

Yet even as she afterwards confessed those physical issues have delayed plans to retire, this World Cup is anticipated as her concluding event as leader in one-day cricket and she is yet to win a world championship as skipper.

Victory in India would bring her to the top of her ultimate challenge.