Alf Hadden was born in Sydney and played cricket for North Sydney before moving to Auckland in late 1904, as the professional coach and groundsman for the North Shore team in the Auckland competition.

In the second match, on a difficult pitch against hostile fast bowling by Johnny Douglas and Percy May, Hadden scored 71 in the second innings after New Zealand had been 33 for 3.

The Auckland Star said it was "an exhibition of batting in which splendid defence, punctuated with free punishing powers, predominated ... [he] made several clinking carpet drives, which found the boundary".

[9] At the trial it was argued in his defence that Hadden was a man of good character whose "only failing was drink", and that his accomplices had taken advantage of this weakness.

[12] He was gassed near Messines in 1917 and spent some months recovering in England before returning to New Zealand.