Short of having a cyanide pill at the ready, Seve Ballesteros could not have been more emphatic in his determination to give nothing away. "I know already what is going to happen with my wild-card picks, but it's a secret," said the European Ryder Cup skipper at the K Club yesterday. All he would divulge was that the decision was taken last week, prior the USPGA Championship at Winged Foot. Which meant that Nick Faldo's slide to a second missed cut in a major championship this season was of no consequence.

The timing was also significant in that it came after Ignacio Garrido had virtually guaranteed his place in the side by finishing runner-up to Bernhard Langer in the Czech Open. A Spanish skipper was now certain of having two Spanish players in the team for a Spanish staging of the biennial showpiece.

It can be taken that the other Spaniard will be Jose-Maria Olazabal, the captain's erstwhile partner. Indeed, Olazabal and Garrido get on extremely well together and would be a logical pairing for the crucial fourballs and foursomes.

And the Iberian influence is further emphasised by the nomination of Miguel-Angel Jimenez as the captain's second-in-command. "By the end of the month, I will name two other assistants to look after the other two matches," said the captain.

Ballesteros went on: "I expect some change in the top-10 over the next two weeks and I know what I am going to do. And if things stay as they are, I know what I'm going to do. I have a very clear picture of the situation. It was easy for me." He then went so far as to say that Faldo's performance in this week's World Series at Firestone would make no difference.

Then came the probing for further information, but Ballesteros was giving nothing away. "You try to be a Columbo," he chided me with a smile, referring to the crumple-coated television sleuth. "He's very smart; he always wins. But you're not going to win this time."

Projecting an air of supreme confidence about the European situation, he went on to express pleasure at the strength of the American side. "Obviously I was very sure about (Fred) Couples," said Ballesteros. "And (Lee) Janzen played well in the USPGA Championship, so he wasn't a surprise either.

"I would probably have picked the same players and I'm very happy to see they have their best 12. I want my team to compete against the best."

Though it could be foolhardy to attempt to read the Spaniard's mind, yesterday's disclosure, such as it was, would suggest that Faldo is virtually certain to be in the side. And Jesper Parnevik also looks likely to make it if Olazabal, currently 12th in the table, secures an automatic place. One way or the other, it can be taken that Olazabal will be in.

An interesting point was raised yesterday, however, by his manager, Sergio Gomez. After suggesting that he had never seen his charge play worse than in a first round 79 at Winged Foot last Thursday, Gomez said: "If Jose-Maria is picked and his game is not right, he will not play."

The manager went on: "He fully agreed with the decision of Sandy Lyle to stand down in 1989 and he had no hesitation in doing so himself in 1995. It is interesting to think that of the five times that Jose-Maria was in the team (he was named but didn't play in 1995), he was a wild-card four times."

Meanwhile, Ballesteros confirmed that another Spaniard, Miguel-Angel Martin, currently ninth in the points table, is officially out of the reckoning. "Even if he happened to make the team as an automatic choice, he couldn't play because of his injured hand," he said. "He was very unlucky."

There was further confirmation that Ballesteros has no thoughts of being a playing captain. "Even if I win this week I will not be in the team," he said. "From the beginning, I had my doubts about being the captain and playing and I have no doubts now. As we get close to the Ryder Cup I don't think it would be fair to try to be captain and play.

"It would be like someone trying to be a hero - and that is not my style. I believe very strongly that the rules should be changed. If you decide to be captain, you should decide not to play in the Ryder Cup. There are so many things to lose. Four months ago, I decided it would not be possible."

Did he regret taking the captaincy? "No," he replied. "When I was asked I had to make a choice. It was in Spain and I was giving up my spot as a player."

He then responded to the assertion by US skipper Tom Kite that there would no question of a repeat of the "War on the Shore" atmosphere generated by US skipper Dave Stockton at Kiawah Island in 1991. "I have had only a brief conversation with Tom Kite as he was walking to the putting green at the (British) Open," he said.

The skipper went on: "I caught up with him, put my hand on him and said `Tom, I think it is important that you and I make sure that the 1997 Ryder Cup is the best so far. By that I mean we have to make sure that sportsmanship is number one.

" `The Ryder Cup is not a war; it's a competition between the United States and Europe. Let's make sure the best team wins.' The Ryder Cup at Oak Hill was very well conducted by Lanny Wadkins and Bernard Gallacher. It is the intention of Tom Kite and myself that it should be the same this time. Right now, it is the best tournament in the world."

The emphasis then changed to the players once more as Ballesteros concluded: "I do not have any doubts about our rookies: there are four at the moment (Darren Clarke, Lee Westwood, Ignacio Garrido and Thomas Bjorn) and there could be five (Padraig Harrington).

"The important thing is the performances from the more experienced players in the team. And I don't have any doubts they are going to do well. Perfect balance between rookies and experienced players is that we are going to have this year."

So ended the state of la nacion speech by the erstwhile conquistador as it applied to the Ryder Cup. Imagine the reaction when he actually tells us something.