[1] Alan Burgess's father Thomas was a cricket umpire who stood in a Test match in Christchurch in 1933.

[2] Alan's cousin was Gordon Burgess, a cricketer and administrator whose son Mark captained the New Zealand Test team in the 1970s.

[4][3] In his first first-class match in December 1940 Burgess played as a bowler,[5] taking 6 for 52 and 3 for 51 with his left-arm spin against Otago.

[9][2] After the war ended in Europe he toured England with the New Zealand Services team from July to September 1945, playing as a batsman.

[10] In nine matches for Canterbury between 1945–46 and 1951–52, Burgess's top score was 42 against Auckland in 1950–51, when he put on 105 for the first wicket with Ray Emery.