🔗 Share this article

It's tough for Australia to set fresh records.

The highest peaks have been successfully scaled.

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

The secondary achievements, the ones sought by the record chasers, are the only things left for a side that has achieved everything.

• Healy's Hundred Helps Australia to Record Chase
• Women's Cricket World Cup 2025 - Schedule, Outcomes & Details
• Women's World Cup Table, Leading Batsmen & Wicket-Takers

The fact it required as late as Sunday's success by three wickets over India for them to achieve their initial ODI chase over 300, regaining their record for the largest in the female 50-over format, is, honestly, a tribute to the bowlers that have sported the yellow jersey over the past 50 years.

It is hard for their hitters to maintain a record if not afforded the possibility.

Finally, the result of Australia conceding 330 was skipper Alyssa Healy getting a platform to create her most recent brilliance.

Then best known as the 19-year-old niece of famous ex Aussie wicketkeeper Ian, she made her debut in 2010 after Australia failed to win either of the T20 or ODI World Cups from the prior year and has seen it all through 15 championship-filled years since.

A T20 championship victory came three months after her debut and seven global championships have resulted from 10 attempts across formats.

The determined wicketkeeper was also there in Derby in 2017 when a last-four loss by India momentarily interrupted the winning streak.

That loss "pushed us to rethink our standards," Healy stated recently.

At the subsequent ODI World Cup in New Zealand, Healy scored 170 against England in the title decider and was named player of the tournament. She guaranteed her country would not fall short again.

The question of whether this newest brilliant performance topped that previous effort is debatable.

Certain people claim the argument supporting final game tension. Some might respond with the difficulty that comes when facing a record target and an enthusiastic Indian fanbase of 20,000.

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

The Christchurch carnage in 2022 came as she led the batting statistics, 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 the nets, it's been a disappointing period because it appeared I lacked timing completely," commented Healy.

"But once you enter the playing area, your fighting spirit activate and you completely engage with the match."

Healy's competitiveness has always been her great strength - and an invaluable trait in succeeding iconic ex-skipper Meg Lanning.

She was tormented by India's promising player Kranti Gaud in the previous month's ODI series, dismissed by the emerging pace bowler in each encounter, but on this occasion it simply offered Healy's inspiration.

A single came off the opening delivery and from that point Healy was in motion.

"The possibility to go out there and engage in competition with her and merely enjoy the moment in that regard, somewhat inspired me," commented Healy.

She reached fifty in 35 deliveries - her swiftest at a World Cup - and her century in 84 as she flogged anything short, scoring 21 fours and three sixes.

Once she was out her side required another 66 at a run-a-ball - a manageable total now needing a comfortable finish.

"To chase 330 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 again but, if necessary, we believe we can do it."

Those words will be the last rival teams at this championship want to hear.

Over the past five days a sense they will win from any position has only strengthened - this triumph succeeding win against Pakistan by 107 run margin despite being 76-7 at one stage.

Subsequently Australia meet Bangladesh before a meeting with old rivals England in Indore in ten days, by which point a semi-final place may well be secure.

It was in the semi-finals they exited last year's T20 World Cup in an unexpected loss by South Africa - an encounter Healy was absent due to ruptured tissue in her foot as she captained her nation for the initial instance at a significant event.

So strong is her resolve, she subsequently stated she regretted not playing despite the injury.

However although she afterwards confessed those injuries have pushed back thoughts of retirement, this tournament is expected to be her last as captain in ODI cricket and she is still to achieve a global event as skipper.

Triumph in India would take her to the summit of her final mountain.