Rouse had previously played for Kent's Second XI in 2014, and returned for a trial in April 2015 as cover for Sam Billings. Billings missed almost the first two months of the season due to being drafted by the Delhi Daredevils franchise for the 2016 Indian Premier League season. In February, Kent announced the signing of two overseas players. First the club announced that South African fast bowler Kagiso Rabada would have a spell with Kent from late June until the end of July, between international commitments. The young bowler impressed during England's tour of South Africa, which had recently concluded. A few days later, the club announced the signing of New Zealand international batsman Tom Latham to play in all three competitions during the season. Latham's last match before joining up with his national team for a tour of Zimbabwe was a T20 fixture against Gloucestershire on 8 July. In 2015, the squad had not featured anyone classified as an overseas player. After Rouse suffered a hand injury in June, and Billings was called into the England T20 squad, former Sussex wicket-keeper Callum Jackson was signed in early July. Kent would otherwise have been without a wicket-keeper in their County Championship match against Essex at the beginning of the month. Jackson had played as a substitute wicket-keeper during the Championship match at Glamorgan in June following Rouse's injury. In late July, Kent announced the signing of Will Gidman from Nottinghamshire on a one-month loan deal. The former Gloucestershire all-rounder had recently returned from injury and would be available for four One-Day Cup games and two County Championship matches. Captain Sam Northeast stated that Gidman's signing would bolster the side's resources with Calum Haggett and Fabian Cowdrey unavailable through injury. Having impressed during this spell, Gidman's loan deal was extended for the remaining three matches of the season. On 19 August, Kent announced the signing of South Africa international fast-bowler Hardus Viljoen as the overseas player for the final four County Championship matches of the season, with the club citing a number of injuries to bowlers over the course the season as the reason for the signing. Squad list Ages given as of the first day of the 2016 County Championship season, 10 April 2016. County Championship Kent played 16 County Championship matches in 2016, playing once at home and once away against each of the other eight counties in