There was one further surprise yesterday in the already decidedly fraught build-up to the Ryder Cup at Valder rama. While Nick Faldo and Jesper Parnevik were duly nominated as wild card choices by skipper Seve Ballesteros, the Englishman revealed that the captain had told him he was in the team a fortnight ago.

So, the 12-man line-up is completed. Much will depend, however, on legal developments involving the discarded Miguel Angel Martin. And by way of helping things along, Ballesteros made a scathing attack yesterday on his fellow countryman.

"He (Martin) was not welcome before - do you think he will be welcome now?" said the angry captain. By way of emphasis, Ballesteros then spat out the words: "That little man."

After naming his wild cards, the skipper paid the team the compliment of comparing it in strength to the 1987 line-up. That was the side, led by Tony Jacklin, which made history by winning on US soil at Muirfield Village for the first time.

"Ten years ago, in 1987, I thought it would be a long, long time until we have as good a team as we had then," said Ballesteros of an occasion when Eamonn Darcy secured a crucial point by beating Ben Crenshaw on the 18th. He went on: "But I am glad to say that I was wrong.

"The team that we have for the 1997 Johnnie Walker Ryder Cup is by far the better team. I am very happy and very positive that we are going to win."

Significantly, Muirfield Village marked the beginning of his partnership with Jose-Maria Olazabal which, with some justification, gained a fearsome reputation as the so-called Spanish Armada. In 15 fourball and foursomes matches together up to 1993, they won 11, halved two and lost only two.

Despite his determination to give nothing away, it was assumed that Ballesteros would stand by Faldo, even allowing for the Englishman's poor recent form. Whatever his current putting frailties, he remains the only European capable of throwing a scare into the Americans.

"Sure there was relief when Seve rang me in America," Faldo said yesterday. "For a while I didn't know whether I would be in the side and he really did keep it close to his chest.

"It's the same thing as 1995. Winning the Ryder Cup then made it a great year and this is going to be a hell of a match. It's a very talented American team.

"Father figures are very important and I'm really looking forward to it. I will go down there early and I will be as prepared as much as I can."

Now that the decision has been made, it would have been unthinkable to have discarded a player whose remarkable competitive steel was seen to such telling effect at Oak Hill two years ago. With the overall outcome finely balanced, Faldo came from one down after 16 holes against Curtis Strange to take the match by winning the last two holes in glorious style.

His winning effort was a superb wedge-shot to the 18th where the ball finished four feet from the pin. Then, amid nerve-tingling tension, he rolled the putt home. It was his 21st win in 41 matches since making his Ryder Cup debut at Royal Lytham in 1977.

Now, the Englishman deservedly stands alone in the annals of this biennial showpiece in that he is set to beat the record 10 appearances by Christy O'Connor Snr, which he equalled at Oak Hill.

Parnevik's selection lends further emphasis to the remarkable progress of Sweden as an emerging power in the game. Joakim Haeggman became their first Ryder Cup representative in 1993; Per-Ulrik Johansson donned the mantle two years later, and now Johansson and Parnevik join forces to give the Swedes their first, two-man representation.

Though he has played well enough this season across the Atlantic to have qualified for the US team, if eligible, Parnevik's selection on the European side remained in doubt, largely because of his failure to capitalise on winning positions. Runner-up in four tournaments in the US this year, he failed once again in the British Open at Royal Troon, sharing second place with Darren Clarke behind Justin Leonard.

Parnevik, speaking from his Florida home, said: "I'm thrilled and relieved at the same time. I was hoping, but you never know what's in Seve's mind - especially after he said earlier this year that Faldo might not even get picked.

"It's a big honour - and I hope Seve will let me wear my cap. I've had the peak turned up now for six years. I don't know how I'm going to feel in loose trousers, though - I'm used to slimline."

The extrovert 32-year-old has taken to wearing drainpipes this season, but on that he may have to give way to the rest of the team.

Meanwhile, Martin's lawyers have lodged an appeal to the Ryder Cup committee against his expulsion from 10th position in the qualifying points table. If that fails - which is a foregone conclusion - they are determined the matter will end in the courts.

As to the suggestion by Martin's friend, Ignacio Garrido, that legal action could halt the match, Ballesteros said: "That little man can't stop the Ryder Cup. Lawyers can only do so much."

The captain went on: "He's (Martin) like a machine-gunner shooting in all directions. He is trying to be a hero for a week. We would be out of our minds to change the decision. He has not been very clear. He has been given bad advice and he does not have the right people around him."

Then Ballesteros accused the injured player of thinking only about himself. "He's like a kamikaze going for the ship," he said derisively.

Overall, it has been a most regrettable week for Europe's Ryder Cup image. Bitter accusations and counter-accusations certainly contrasted sharply with the thoroughly dignified manner in which the US team was finalised at Winged Foot last month, on the Monday morning after the USPGA Championship.

Much of the blame rests with the European Tour. It should have been obvious there was a problem during the Smurfit European Open, when Ballesteros was telling us that Martin would not be in the side, even though the player had not officially withdrawn.

When I sought an official statement from the tour on this point, I was told that Martin's status would be clarified in Munich last Sunday. In other words, the problem which he had created, would be overtaken by events, hopefully with Olazabal or Padraig Harrington going past him in the points table.

The matter is not yet over. For the moment, however, Ballesteros will need all his undoubted charm to undo serious damage to the unity of his side in the build-up to Valderrama.