The Australian Team Establishes a Fresh Record as Healy Faces One Final Mountain.

Media Caption: Healy Guides Historic Pursuit as The Aussies Beat India

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

The top summits have long been mastered.

We're talking about the team that has secured seven Cricket World Cups, plus six more T20 titles, and once went over three years undefeated in 50-over cricket.

The remaining milestones, those for the record chasers, are what's still available for a squad that has achieved everything.

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That it took up to Sunday's three-wicket win over India for them to complete their first ODI chase over 300, taking back their record for the biggest in the female 50-over format, is, frankly, a compliment to the bowling attack that have represented Australia over the last half-century.

It's difficult for their batsmen to possess a record if never given the opportunity.

Ultimately, the consequence of Australia conceding 330 was skipper Alyssa Healy receiving a chance to produce her latest masterpiece.

Originally famous as the young family member of celebrated previous Aussie wicketkeeper Ian, she made her debut in 2010 after Australia 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 World Cup win arrived three months after her debut and seven world titles have followed from 10 tries across formats.

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

That loss "pushed us to reevaluate our levels," Healy said this week.

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

Whether this newest brilliant performance exceeded that prior achievement is debatable.

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

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

The Christchurch destruction in 2022 occurred when she topped the run-scoring charts, but this performance followed six innings in India from the beginning of the previous month in which she had been unable to reach 30.

"If you've observed me in practice sessions, it was a disappointing period because it seemed I've had no rhythm whatsoever," commented Healy.

"Yet the moment you step out on the field, your fighting spirit take over and you just lock into the match."

Video Description: 'Brilliant' Healy Makes 142 to Help Australia Achieve Historic Pursuit

Healy's competitive nature has always been her great strength - and an invaluable trait in succeeding famous previous leader Meg Lanning.

She was challenged by India's rising star Kranti Gaud in the previous month's ODI series, dismissed by the young fast bowler in each encounter, but on this occasion it simply offered Healy's motivation.

One run resulted off the bowler's initial ball and from that point the batsman was on her way.

"The possibility to take the field and lock in a contest with her and just have a bit of fun in that aspect, sort of got me going," said Healy.

She got to fifty in 35 deliveries - her quickest at the global tournament - and her hundred in 84 deliveries while she punished short deliveries, striking 21 boundaries and three big hits.

Once she was dismissed the team needed 66 additional runs at a run-a-ball - an achievable target now needing a comfortable finish.

"Chasing 330 runs is new territory so I am glad we have the assurance to achieve that now," stated Healy further.

"Ideally we won't need to do it another time but, if we do, we are confident we can do it."

Those words will be the final thing Australia's opponents at this tournament need to hear.

During the last week a sense they will win from any position has become more firm - this success following success over Pakistan by 107 run margin despite being 76-7 at one point.

Following this Australia face Bangladesh before a match against longtime competitors England in Indore in 10 days, by which point a last-four spot may probably be guaranteed.

During that phase they exited the prior year's T20 World Cup in a shock defeat by South Africa - a game Healy missed because of ruptured tissue in her foot as she guided Australia for the inaugural occasion at an important competition.

So great is her will, she later said she regretted not playing despite the injury.

But while she afterwards confessed those injuries have postponed thoughts of retirement, this World Cup is expected to be her concluding event as leader in ODI cricket and she is hasn't yet secured a global event as skipper.

Triumph in India would take her to the summit of her last major obstacle.

Jennifer Oneill
Jennifer Oneill

A blockchain technology specialist with over a decade of experience in developing decentralized solutions for enterprise applications.