David Gray recorded the 50th competitive maximum 147 break in his second-round match against Mark Selby at the Travis Perkins UK Championship in York yesterday.

The world number 14 accomplished the feat in frame five to take a 4-1 lead and will collect £31,000 - a special £25,000 prize and £6,000 for the highest break - if the achievement is not matched later in the event.

It was the first maximum for the 25-year-old from Surrey, who is renowned for his accuracy around the black spot, and Selby is a lucky opponent for him. The world number 36 from Leicester was the beaten finalist when Gray captured his only ranking title, the 2003 Regal Scottish Open.

Elsewhere, John Parrott was maintaining his improved form as he opened up a 5-1 lead over Hong Kong's Marco Fu, while Alan McManus also had a clear advantage, 5-2 against Ryan Day.

Last week's British Open hero John Higgins, who will withdraw from the tournament if his wife Denise goes into labour with their second child, began his match against Ricky Walden by losing the first two frames.

The Scot then hit back by taking the next four, though only nature will decide whether he is still in York this afternoon when the clash is scheduled to conclude.

One walk-out did take place yesterday, as illness forced Jimmy White to retire when trailing 7-0 to Ali Carter in the morning session.

The 'Whirlwind' had endured a terrible start to the match and even his one significant break, a 55 in frame two, was not enough to get him off the mark as his opponent responded with a 67.

After a scrappy seventh frame White decided he could not continue, his concession giving Carter a night off, and the 25-year-old from Essex is not back in action until Sunday against Paul Hunter or Quinten Hann.

''It's a shame because I wanted to finish the match,'' said Carter, who has not been in the best of health himself this week having suffered a recurrence of Crohn's Disease during his opening victory over Tom Ford.

''I was playing very well and hardly gave Jimmy a chance. He was my idol as a kid and this was the first time I had played him so it's disappointing not to be able to finish it off.

''The first I knew was when Mike Ganley, the tournament director, came up to me and said Jimmy had indicated he couldn't carry on. Jimmy apologised, told me I had played well and to keep it going and wished me all the best for my next match.

''I'm pleased to be through though. I can go home and sleep in my own bed for the next few nights before coming back up here at the weekend.''

The world number 19 revealed that his stomach problems had eased since his opening match on Monday.

''I had a day off yesterday and didn't eat anything,'' said Carter.

''I'm getting back to normal but I've just got to be careful what I eat.''

Hunter was 5-3 up on Hann at the end of their first session, while Ken Doherty and Andy Hicks were level at 4-4, as were Chris Small and Joe Perry.

World Championship runner-up Graeme Dott edged 4-3 ahead of up-and-coming Australian youngster Neil Robertson.

British Open runner-up Stephen Maguire, up to a provisional number seven in the rankings for next season, held a 5-2 lead over Mark Davis in the final first-round match.

Gray admitted he had been ''shaking more than I have ever done'' when he knocked in his 147.

''I was perfect on the colours but my head was all over the place,'' said the man from Morden. ''I had 'gone' and it was just nice to get the last few balls in and have a moment like that."