If Australia perform well at the World Cup, they may want to thank a witch doctor and their Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, for combining to exorcise the 'curse' affecting Harry Kewell.
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Rudd passed on a goodwill greeting to Kewell at the insistence of the South African healer Bishop Isaac Nonyane, who has claimed the PM's best wishes would exorcise the "malicious spirits" plaguing the 31-year-old.
An injury to Kewell's groin has dominated Australia's build-up to the World Cup, with Pim Verbeek, the coach, desperate to have the forward fit for Sunday's opening match against Germany.
"No one has bewitched him," said Nonyane – who has claimed to be communicating with his dead grandmother – as he held a Bible and a picture of Kewell.
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