Australia Breaks New Ground as Healy Confronts Her Ultimate Challenge.

Media Caption: Healy Leads Record Chase as Australia Beat India

It's tough for the Australian squad to achieve unprecedented feats.

The top summits have long been mastered.

We're talking about the team that has won seven Cricket World Cups, in addition to six more T20 titles, and previously enjoyed 1,294 days unbeaten in 50-over cricket.

The alternative records, targeted by the record chasers, are what's still available for a team that has won it all.

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The fact it required as late as Sunday's success by three wickets over India for them to achieve their initial ODI chase above 300, taking back their record for the biggest in women's cricket's 50-over format, is, honestly, a tribute to the bowling attack that have represented Australia over the past 50 years.

It's challenging for their batters to hold a record if never given the possibility.

In the end, the outcome of Australia conceding 330 was captain Alyssa Healy receiving an opportunity to deliver her latest masterpiece.

Then best known as the teenage relative of famous ex Aussie wicketkeeper Ian, she first played in 2010 after Australia didn't secure either of the 20 or 50-over World Cups from the prior year and has experienced everything through 15 successful years since.

Success in the T20 World Cup came three months after her bow and seven global championships have resulted from 10 tries across formats.

The gritty keeper was also there in Derby in 2017 when a last-four loss by India briefly halted the winning streak.

That loss "pushed us to rethink our standards," Healy commented earlier.

At the subsequent ODI World Cup in New Zealand, Healy scored 170 against England in the final and was declared player of the series. She made sure her country would not come up short.

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

Many contend the argument supporting final game tension. Some might respond with the difficulty that comes when facing a record target and a loud pro-India audience of 20,000.

What's definite is this ton was much more difficult to anticipate.

The Christchurch destruction in 2022 came as she topped the run-scoring charts, but this performance came after six matches in India from the beginning of the previous month in which she had failed to pass 30.

"If you've been watching me in practice sessions, it's been a frustrating experience because I feel like I've had no rhythm whatsoever," said Healy.

"Yet the moment you enter the playing area, your fighting spirit take over and you just lock into the contest."

Media Caption: 'Excellent' Healy Hits 142 to Aid Australia Achieve Historic Pursuit

Healy's competitiveness has consistently been her major advantage - and an invaluable trait in taking over from legendary former captain Meg Lanning.

She was troubled by India's rising star Kranti Gaud in recent ODI series, fallen to the emerging pace bowler in every game, but here that only provided Healy's inspiration.

One run resulted off the bowler's initial ball and from that point Healy was underway.

"The possibility to take the field and engage in competition with her and simply enjoy myself in that regard, sort of got me going," stated Healy.

She got to fifty in 35 deliveries - her swiftest at a World Cup - and her hundred in 84 deliveries while she flogged anything short, hitting 21 fours and three maximums.

Once she was dismissed her side required another 66 at one run per ball - an achievable target now requiring a leisurely stroll.

"Chasing 330 runs is uncharted waters so I am glad we have the assurance to achieve that now," added Healy.

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

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

Over the past five days a sense they will win from any position has grown stronger - this success coming after victory over Pakistan by 107 runs despite being 76-7 at one point.

Following this Australia face Bangladesh before a match against longtime competitors England in Indore in a week and a half, by which point a semi-final place may well be secure.

It was in the semi-finals they exited the prior year's T20 World Cup in a shock defeat by South Africa - an encounter Healy couldn't play because of torn tissue in her foot as she captained her nation for the inaugural occasion at a major tournament.

Such is her determination, she later said she regretted not playing with the discomfort.

However although she subsequently acknowledged those physical issues have pushed back consideration of ending her career, this championship is likely to be her concluding event as leader in ODI cricket and she is hasn't yet secured a global event as skipper.

Victory in India would lead her to the peak of her final mountain.

Adam Jackson
Adam Jackson

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