Steve Smith. Pic/AFP

Former Australia skipper Steve Smith won't challenge the one-year ban imposed on him for his role in the ball-tampering scandal as the troubled cricketer sought to justify the punishment, saying it was meant to send out a "strong message". Smith, his deputy David Warner and young Cameron Bancroft were handed bans up to one year by Cricket Australia following the scandal during their disastrous South Africa tour, which ended in an embarrassing 1-3 series defeat.