🔗 Share this article

It's difficult for Australia to break new ground.

The top summits have been successfully scaled.

We're talking about the team that has secured seven Cricket World Cups, in addition to an additional six T20 titles, and earlier maintained 1,294 days without defeat in 50-over cricket.

The remaining milestones, targeted by the record chasers, are all that remain for a side that has won it all.

• Healy's Ton Aids Australia to Record Chase
• Women's Cricket World Cup 2025 - Schedule, Outcomes & Details
• Women's World Cup Table, Top Run-Scorers & Leading Bowlers

The fact it required up to Sunday's success by three wickets over India for them to complete their first ODI chase exceeding 300, taking back their record for the highest in women's cricket's 50-over format, is, frankly, a compliment to the pitchers that have represented Australia over the last half-century.

It's challenging for their batsmen to maintain a record if not afforded the possibility.

Finally, the result of Australia giving up 330 runs was captain Alyssa Healy receiving an opportunity to create her most recent brilliance.

Originally famous as the 19-year-old niece of renowned former Aussie wicketkeeper Ian, she first played in 2010 after her nation failed to win either of the 20 or 50-over World Cups conducted earlier and has witnessed all through 15 trophy-laden years since.

A T20 World Cup win arrived three months after her bow and seven international trophies have resulted from 10 tries across formats.

The tough gloveman was in attendance in Derby in 2017 when a last-four loss by India briefly halted the run of success.

That loss "pushed us to reconsider our benchmarks," Healy stated recently.

At the subsequent ODI World Cup in New Zealand, Healy hit 170 against England in the championship match and was declared player of the series. She guaranteed her country would not fall short again.

Whether this recent magnificent innings surpassed that earlier display remains open for discussion.

Certain people claim the reasoning behind the pressure of a final. Some might respond with the challenge that comes when confronting a historic chase and a loud pro-India audience of 20,000.

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

The Christchurch carnage in 2022 came as she led the batting statistics, but this innings was preceded by six games in India from the beginning of the previous month in which she had not exceeded 30 runs.

"For those following me in training, it was a frustrating experience because I feel like I lacked timing at all," commented Healy.

"But once you step out on the field, your competitive instincts kick in and you completely engage with the competition."

Healy's competitiveness has continuously been her major advantage - and a priceless quality in replacing famous previous leader Meg Lanning.

She was troubled by India's emerging talent 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 was taken off the bowler's initial ball and after that the batsman was underway.

"An opportunity to play and engage in competition with her and just have a bit of fun in that aspect, kind of motivated me," said Healy.

She got to fifty in 35 pitches - her swiftest at the World Cup - and her ton in 84 as she attacked short-pitched balls, striking 21 boundaries and three maximums.

Once she was out Australia needed 66 additional runs at one run per ball - a manageable total now requiring a leisurely stroll.

"To chase 330 is unfamiliar ground so I'm happy we have the belief to do that now," stated Healy further.

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

That comment will be the ultimate thing rival teams at this championship want to hear.

During the last week a sense they will win from any position has become more firm - this triumph succeeding win against Pakistan by 107 runs despite struggling at 76-7 at a certain moment.

Following this Australia face Bangladesh before a match against traditional opponents England in Indore in a week and a half, by which point a last-four spot may well be secure.

It was at that stage they were eliminated from last year's T20 World Cup in a surprising setback by South Africa - an encounter Healy missed because of ruptured tissue in her foot as she led her country for the initial instance at a major tournament.

So great is her will, she afterwards commented she wished she had played despite the injury.

However although she later admitted those fitness problems have postponed plans to retire, this World Cup is expected to be her final tournament as skipper in 50-over cricket and she is hasn't yet secured an international tournament as skipper.

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