Australia Breaks New Ground as Healy Faces One Final Mountain.

Video Description: Healy Leads Record Chase as The Aussies Beat India

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

The greatest achievements have been successfully scaled.

We're talking about the squad that has claimed seven Cricket World Cups, along with six more T20 titles, and once went 1,294 days unbeaten in 50-over cricket.

The secondary achievements, targeted by the peak baggers, are what's still available for a side that has won it all.

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It needed up to Sunday's success by three wickets over India for them to complete their first ODI chase over 300, regaining their record for the largest in women's cricket's 50-over format, is, honestly, a tribute to the pitchers that have represented Australia over the past 50 years.

It's difficult for their hitters to maintain a record if not afforded the possibility.

Finally, the result of Australia conceding 330 was captain Alyssa Healy being given a platform to deliver her newest gem.

Then best known as the teenage relative of famous ex Aussie wicketkeeper Ian, she first played in 2010 after her country failed to win either of the T20 or ODI World Cups conducted earlier and has witnessed all through 15 trophy-laden years since.

A T20 World Cup win came three months after her first appearance and seven global championships have come from 10 tries across formats.

The tough gloveman was also there in Derby in 2017 when a semi-final setback by India momentarily interrupted the successful run.

That loss "motivated us to rethink our standards," Healy said this week.

At the following one-day championship in New Zealand, Healy made 170 against England in the final and was named player of the tournament. She ensured her country would not fail again.

The question of whether this recent magnificent innings topped that previous effort is debatable.

Some will argue the argument supporting championship match pressure. Different voices suggest with the difficulty that comes when pursuing an unprecedented total and a raucous India-supporting crowd of 20,000.

What is certain is this ton was considerably tougher to predict.

The New Zealand onslaught in 2022 came as she topped the run-scoring charts, but this knock followed six innings in India over the past few weeks in which she had been unable to reach 30.

"If you've been watching me in the nets, it has been a challenging time because it seemed my form was missing at all," said Healy.

"But once you step out on the field, your competitive nature take over and you simply focus on the match."

Video Description: 'Fantastic' Healy Hits 142 to Assist Australia Complete Record Run Chase

Healy's competitiveness has always been her key asset - and an irreplaceable characteristic in succeeding legendary former captain Meg Lanning.

She was troubled by India's emerging talent Kranti Gaud in the previous month's ODI series, out to the emerging pace bowler in all three matches, but here that only provided Healy's inspiration.

A single came off Gaud's first delivery and from there Healy was on her way.

"The possibility to play and engage in competition with her and merely enjoy the moment that way, sort of got me going," said Healy.

She achieved fifty in 35 pitches - her fastest at the World Cup - and her ton in 84 balls as she flogged anything short, hitting 21 fours and three sixes.

Once she was dismissed Australia needed 66 additional runs at one run per ball - an achievable target now demanding an easy conclusion.

"Pursuing 330 is new territory so I'm happy we have the confidence to accomplish that now," stated Healy further.

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

That comment will be the last Australia's opponents at this championship want to hear.

During the last week a sense they will triumph from any situation has only strengthened - this triumph coming after win against Pakistan by 107-run victory despite sitting at 76-7 at one stage.

Subsequently Australia meet Bangladesh before an encounter with traditional opponents England in Indore in 10 days, by which point a semi-final berth may likely be confirmed.

It was in the semi-finals they were eliminated from the previous year's T20 World Cup in a surprising setback by South Africa - a match Healy couldn't play because of ruptured tissue in her foot as she captained her nation for the initial instance at an important competition.

So great is her will, she subsequently stated she regretted not playing with the discomfort.

But while she later admitted those physical issues have pushed back consideration of ending her career, this championship is likely to be her last as captain in ODI cricket and she is hasn't yet secured a global event as leader.

Victory in India would lead her to the peak of her last major obstacle.

Cody Baxter
Cody Baxter

Experienced travel and event writer with a passion for London's vibrant entertainment scene.