Cricket great Ricky Ponting has revealed umpires have grave concerns about trusting the DRS technology - who operate snicko - during the Ashes series.

The third Test in Adelaide has been marred by a series of blunders, starting with England being denied Alex Carey's wicket on the opening day of the third Test in Adelaide.

A shocking decision to give Harry Brook out caught down the leg side was overturned on day two, after his review showed the bat a considerable distance from the ball.

Next was England teammate Jamie Smith, who appeared to clearly edge a delivery from Pat Cummins to Alex Carey.

Incredibly, the snicko frame showed the contact was supposedly unclear, with the umpires eventually sending Smith on his way.

Ponting has called for urgent change - and feels for the on-field umpires.

'This (DRS) technology that we are using here (in Australia) is simply not as good as technology that is used in other countries,' Ponting said on Channel Seven.

'You talk to the umpires, they'll tell you the same thing. They can't trust it.

'They've got a third umpire sitting up in there that's got to make decisions based on what he's seeing that the technology is providing...and sometimes they have a gut feel that it's not right.

'That can't happen. You have got to be able to trust the technology that's in place.'

Aussie quick Mitchell Starc spoke for many when he was heard on the stump microphone uttering in frustration: 'snicko needs to be sacked, that is the worst technology there is.'

Travis Head added: 'The world is going mad!

Former England spinner Phil Tufnell suggested any trust in snicko is now dead and buried.

'Absolute shambles. What is going on?,' he said on ABC Sport.

'It is absolute chaos, no-one knows where they stand.'

Australia only need to draw the third Test at the Adelaide Oval to retain the Ashes urn.