James Kirtley has been officially reported to the ICC for a suspect bowling action. Match referee Colonel Naushad Ali filed a report after the fourth one-day international between England and Zimbabwe at Bulawayo on Wednesday, having looked at video evidence of Kirtley. He had originally expressed doubts to a tabloid newspaper over the legitimacy of his action after the first match at Harare.

It is not the first throwing controversy to hit Kirtley, who was reported after taking six wickets in an unofficial A Test between England and New Zealand in 1999-00. He was eventually cleared by the ECB following a series of tests conducted by the biomechanics department at Brighton University.

The ICC has a three-stage process in place for such cases, and this will apply to Kirtley:

1) He can continue to play international and first-class cricket, while working with a panel of specialist advisors appointed by the ECB to review his bowling action. A detailed report must be compiled and submitted to the ICC by the ECB.

2) If Kirtley is reported again within 12 months of the first report the ICC will appoint an advisor to work directly with him on his action. A further assessment would then be submitted by the ICC advisor within three months.

3) A third report in 12 months would activate the ICC Bowling Review Group, which would meet with the bowler and his representatives to discuss the previous two assessment reports, video footage and any further evidence.

Before he left for Zimbabwe, Kirtley said: "When I was reported the first time, it really knocked the stuffing out of me and my initial thoughts were that my career could be over. But, as far as I'm concerned, the slate is perfectly clean. I've been thoroughly checked and filmed -- and there was nothing wrong with my action."

Though Kirtley can play in the fifth one-dayer on Saturday, to do so would risk the humiliation of being no-balled for throwing. Chris Silverwood has yet to play on tour, so Kirtley is likely to be left out -- not the end to his first England tour he would have hoped for.

© Wisden CricInfo Ltd