I'll give an example where we would smack (sorry cricket - i know you were asked LOL)

DS draws on the wall. I ask him "do we draw on walls?" he says "no, paper". So we go and get paper. He then continues to draw on the wall. He gets a warning. "DS.. we draw on paper. If you draw on the wall again, you're going to get a smack". (altho.. these days he gets sent to his room, or whatever he's playing with gets taken away). 5 mins later.. he's hidden himself in the loungeroom, doors closed, and is drawing on the wall in there. So, he gets that smack (or sent to his room. whatever was threatened). I then ask him to tell me why he was sent to his room, and he knows.. then he says sorry. We haven't had repeat incidents. In fact I've left some of the scribble on the wall, and he remembers that it was norty and tells me. So we can have little reminders of how its norty to draw on the wall... without him actually having to get into trouble for it again. LOL (never mind my laziness in not cleaning it off )

ETA: just want to add that you really need to find what works with your child at the time. We didn't want to smack early on, but distraction never worked, and naughty corner didn't work, taking something off him didn't work. He just didn't care. A sharp tap on the hand tho made him pay attention. Now smacking has joined the ranks of "pfft.. I don't care" and sending him to his room or taking the toy off him DOES work. So smacking has played it's part for us and is still there occassionally.