Alyssa Healy has belted a magnificent century to put Australia in control of their World Cup semi-final with the West Indies.
Australia posted 3-305 after being sent in at Wellington's Basin Reserve, where drizzle delayed play and shortened the match to a 45-over affair.
Australia's openers combined to stunning effect in gloomy, grey conditions, tallying the tournament's best partnership with a superb 216-run stand.
Healy belted 129 (107) and Rachael Haynes made 85 (100) to put one Australian foot in Sunday's final.
The West Indies will need to produce a world record chase to deny the world No.1s.
Healy's monster knock came despite rotten form in the capital, where she had made just 38 runs in four outings over the past fortnight.
Given the testing weather and new wicket, Healy started tentatively, going the first 11 overs without a single boundary.
She struck her second fifty in just 28 balls, finishing with 17 fours and one six.
The West Indies looked demoralised in the field, squandering a glut of chances to secure a breakthrough.
Hayley Matthews and Shamilia Connell both dropped sitters to dismiss Haynes just after her half-century.
Soon after, it got worse for the Caribbeans, with Anisa Mohammed - a replacement for COVID-struck spinner Afy Fletcher- pulling her hamstring chasing a Healy boundary.
Australia's openers eventually departed in the 33rd and 36th overs, Healy top-edging an attempted tonk and Haynes not reaching her ton by hitting to Deandra Dottin at cover.
Their demise only brought other power-hitters to the crease.
Ash Gardner (12 off 8) was elevated to first drop but failed to cash in, before Beth Mooney (43 off 31) and Meg Lanning (26 off 26) took the Australian total past 300.
Australia is without Ellyse Perry in the semi-final, who did not overcome back spasms to take her place.
The second semi-final is on Thursday in Christchurch, where South Africa and England will face off to take part in Sunday's final.
